The 12 Fighting Princesses
by leenylu
Summary: It's time for the Disney Hunger Games. Twelve princes, twelve princesses, twelve districts, one Game.
1. The Reapings

_**Hello! Welcome to my new story! I know this concept is a little weird and possibly childhood-ruining, so if the idea of the Disney princes and princesses fighting one another to the death really freaks you out, then this story might not be perfect for you. But if you like Disney and the Hunger Games, maybe you'll enjoy this! I promise not to make it too gory or to make any of the characters way more creepy or violent than they are in their original movies.**_

_**There are going to be 6 chapters before the Games start, with 4 new tributes introduced each chapter, and then chapter 7 will be the first one of the actual Games. A new chapter will be posted every Sunday. Also, please take the poll on my profile if you want! It's to help me decide who Merida's district partner should be, since she doesn't have a prince. (UPDATE: That poll is now closed, Hercules is her partner!) Enjoy!**_

Aurora, District 8

There are still a few hours until the sun rises, but there's no point in staying in bed any longer. I won't be sleeping any more on a night like this.

Careful not to wake up my parents or my three aunts, I slip down the narrow staircase, smiling as I enter the kitchen and catch sight of the dress form on the mannequin. I'm just a seamstress, but my aunts sometimes design clothes, and they almost always disagree on them. This dress is no different: half of it is blue, and its other side is pink. I shake my head. At least I know their final product will be beautiful. It always is.

I pull my shawl over my head, slip out the front door, and run down the road. Our district is fairly industrial, but I'm lucky enough to live near a small forest, which is where I go now. I follow the familiar path to a small stream, where I sit on a rock, dip my toes in the water, and wait for the sun to rise.

As I wait, I have no way of keeping myself from thinking of the day to come: Reaping Day. Every year, starting about a month away, I start to get more and more scared leading up to this day. Of course the odds are always against me getting chosen, but I can never help feeling like it's going to be me. And this year is no different.

I tear my thoughts away from the horrifying idea of being chosen when I see a small chipmunk sitting across the stream from me. I can't help but smile. Lately, I've been coming here so often that some of the animals have let their guards down around me. Sure enough, a few moments later, I spot a few more small rodents peeping out, and I hear birds singing in the trees. I stand on the rock, reach up, and grab a branch above me. It took me a long time to realize I could do this, but I haul myself up on top of the branch, giving me a perfect view of the beginnings of a beautiful sunrise. I lean my head against the trunk, listen to the birds chirping, and begin to hum softly to myself. Once the sun completely rises, I know I'll need to return home and face the ceremony, but for now, I have my final moments of peace.

Kristoff, District 5

I grunt as I drop the last block of ice in its place. I'm finally done for the morning. I pull my mittens off and rub my hands together as I trudge up the hill away from the frozen lake. Soon those ice blocks will be taken to some kind of factory, where they'll be melted and used for water power. I couldn't tell you any more details than that. I just know that my area's job is in the actual retrieval of the ice.

I'd love to go light a fire and warm up, but a shuttle bus is coming soon to take us to the center of the district for the ceremony. Our cold area is pretty close to the border of the district, but today, we'll be taken to the warmer area. Too bad the trip isn't for a happier occasion.

As I board the bus, I look around at the other young people solemnly taking their seats. It's so unnerving how any one of these people might not be returning tonight. Of course, chances are that we all _will_ be returning, and like always, the people reaped will be people I've never heard of. But there's always that chance.

Anna, District 5

"Come on, girls!" my mother calls from up ahead. She and my father turn to look back at Elsa and me—we seem to be slowing down more and more as we near the square. Can you blame us? One more corner and it will be in view.

Elsa squeezes my hand. "Come on," she says softly. Easy for her to say. She's no longer eligible to be reaped. And even though of course she's scared for me, she can't be feeling the same true fear that I am.

Before I'm ready, we're there, and I have to go stand with my age group while Elsa and our parents must stay separated in their own section. Without them with me, the panic really begins to set in. How am I supposed to stand here by myself and listen to them sentence two people to death?

The mayor's speech begins, but I'm too numb to listen. I try to search out my family's faces in the crowd, but I can't find them. They're too far away. And now here comes the escort. He says some generic introductory words (probably including "and may the odds be ever in your favor,") and then he's walking towards the bowl with the girls' names.

I glance around one more time, and someone near me shifts, opening up my view and allowing a direct sight line to my family. I stare straight at them, trying to tune out what's happening on stage and to see only them.

But looking at them only makes it worse when the name they call is mine.

My mother crumples into my father, while Elsa seems completely frozen, her expression one of pure shock.

I force myself to tear my gaze away from them and make my way to the stage.

Phillip, District 8

The blond girl's wide dark eyes look around in bewilderment and fear as she gazes out at all of us. She is the pure image of a victim. She looks like she's never done anything to hurt anyone in her life. And now she's been sentenced to death.

But now I need to draw my attention to the boy's name. The escort pulls out a slip and takes a breath.

Heads turn to me, and for a moment, I can't breathe. Then I remind myself that I am now a tribute. My strategizing begins now. That starts with a brave face.

I set my expression and stride forward. Aurora shakes my hand, her beautiful face gazing up at me in fear. And then our district is forced to applaud us before we're taken down to the justice building, our last room before we leave out district, and for at least one of us, it will be permanently.

_**There it is! I know this chapter was really short and not much happened, but I'm mostly just trying to establish who the tributes are for now. And sorry that the calling of the names was awkwardly blocked out, but I didn't want to randomly give them last names that they never had in the movies :p See you next Sunday!**_

_**UPDATE: I had a crazy week and didn't have time to finish the next chapter :( I promise new chapters will be coming starting next Sunday!**_


	2. Farewells and Train Rides

_**I AM SO SORRY we went away for winter break and I thought I was going to have access to the internet but I didn't. But now I'm back! And I have TWO chapters today so we can catch up! So here are the farewells and train rides from 4 new tributes!**_

Belle, District 6

"Papa!"

I leap into his arms as he bursts through the door of the justice building's farewell room. We hold each other silently, not wanting to let go. Finally, he pushes me back.

"You're a very smart girl," he says. "You've got your mother's blood in you, and you're smart enough to find a way home. I know you can."

"Oh, Papa," I say sadly. "I'll try."

"Of course you will," he says.

"You be sure to take care of yourself," I warn him.

"I will, Belle, I promise."

I try to smile. "Good."

A guard bursts in. "Time's up," he says brusquely.

Adam, District 6

I bid my servants one last goodbye and allow the guards to take me out to the train. A small crowd has gathered to watch us board. What do these people care? Why would complete strangers want to watch us get carried off to our deaths? Can't they give us some privacy?

As we get up closer to the train, my district partner also emerges from the crowd. She elbows the guards away from her and climbs into the train herself. I've never seen her before, though granted, I haven't seen just about anyone from my district. I usually keep to myself in my large house with my servants. Since I'm one of the wealthiest people in the district, I tend to assume that no one really wants me around. That's probably true, especially since I have a bit of a temper.

This girl seems to be fairly well-presented and dressed, so she must be more middle-class. She also seems to have a bit of spunk to her, unlike other female tributes I've seen who just appeared to give up the second their names were called. But not this girl. She's already fighting.

That's enough. I can't be thinking about other people's tactics. If I want to survive this, I need to focus on my own.

Shang, District 2

The doors to our train car are about to close when a small girl emerges from the crowd on the platform. She shuffles forward, gazing up at us with wide eyes, and reaches up, holding out a small doll.

My district partner, Mulan, bends down and takes it, smiling. "Thank you," she says softly. She backs away from the train doors as they slide shut and we finally start to move. We stay at the window and continue to smile and wave at the adoring crowd we're leaving behind, as is custom. When they're finally out of view, we turn away from the window and take a seat. Mulan lets out a sigh. "So it's finally happening," she says.

I nod. "What we've been waiting for our whole lives," I say in my best imitation of my father's stern voice.

She smirks. "Finally bringing honor to our families."

"Exactly," I say, thinking of all the years of military training that led up to this. My father was one of the greatest warriors of all time, and now, I'm expected to follow in his footsteps. But it's not exactly fair—he fought in a real war where an unlimited number of people can make it out alive if they're strong and lucky enough. Instead, I'm expected to fight in a war where only one person is allowed to survive. But I'm not complaining. Especially after my father was killed in battle, I no longer feel like I'm being forced to do this. Now, I truly want to in order to honor his memory.

Mulan, District 2

Shang excuses himself and slips into another car. I sigh. We've trained together ever since we were young, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I realized that he mistakenly assumed we were there for the same reason. He never really wanted to be there, but he felt that it was what his family wanted. I'm the opposite. My family never wanted me to do this. They've always wanted me to doll myself up and sell myself off to some husband. But I always knew I could never do that. For one thing, I could never meet that standard. I'm always running late and doing things that most would call irresponsible, so I could never fit their image of the ideal wife. And second of all, I don't _want_ to meet that standard. But I knew that I would never amount to anything if I didn't pursue a different path. So instead, I began to train. If I can't bring honor to my family by becoming an honorable wife, then I'll do it by winning the Hunger Games.

I look down at the small doll I hold in my hands and smile. My family was very loving when they said their goodbyes, but we none of us remembered to decide what my token should be. But now, thanks to that little girl, I do have a token. And although I don't even know her, her doll will still remind me of home, and that's exactly what I need.

_**Just to clarify, "Adam" is the beast from beauty in the beast, but in human form. Apparently that's his actual name. I don't think it really suits him, but what are you gonna do? :p**_


	3. Chariot Rides

_**Here are the District 10 and 12 tributes with the chariot rides!**_

Henry, District 10

When the train arrives, we only have a few hours before my district partner and I are dragged into separate rooms and prepared for the chariot rides. I'm scrubbed, shaved, and combed until I feel like a plucked bird. After I'm given my costume, I look in the mirror and sigh. I do look pretty nice, with any remaining trace of dirt scrubbed off and my hair combed and shining. But the costume, as usual, is fairly disappointing: I'm dressed as a simple farmhand. Yes, our district is the district of livestock, but these are supposed to be _costumes_, not an accurate portrayal of what we wear every day.

Oh well. Who needs sponsors anyway, right? I halfheartedly thank my stylist and shuffle out the door. Here goes nothing.

Snow White, District 12

"Oh, _my_."

I turn this way and that, taking in my chariot costume. Truth be told, the costume is dreadful, just dreadful, but they have made me look truly beautiful anyway. I never dreamed that red lipstick and pale powder could create such a wonderful thing. I clasp my hands under my chin and bat my eyes at my reflection for a bit longer. It's truly magical.

Although I do try to avoid looking at the costume. It's a bit disappointing that I won't be able to wear a beautiful dress like some of the other girls. Instead, I'm wearing only a simple minor's costume. But as I think about it some more, I realize that, perhaps, this costume is a good thing after all. It certainly reminds me of home. I smile as I remember all the little men that used to pass my cottage on their way to the mines every day, some of them even singing to one another. I can't resist smiling and giggling to myself. Perhaps all will be all right after all.

Florian, District 12

When we arrive at the carriage, I see my district partner, Snow White, in her costume for the first time. To my surprise, I'm suddenly stricken by her true beauty. She gazes up at me shyly, and I smile and kiss her hand. She looks away bashfully. "You look beautiful," I say. To my surprise, she looks as if she is about to cry. "What's the matter?"

"I just... I _wish_ I looked beautiful... But these dreadful costumes have ruined it."

"Nonsense! Why, these simple costumes will make everyone pay attention to your beautiful face. Look there," I say, pointing as the two District 1 tributes pass us on their way to their own carriage. The girl is quite beautiful, with incredibly long, shining blond hair and round green eyes, and the boy is quite handsome as well, but one would hardly notice that over her sparkling white gown and his sparkling suit. "You see?" I say. "Everyone will be looking at their clothing, no one will notice what their faces truly look like."

She sniffles. "I suppose your right," she says.

"Here, let me help you." I climb into the carriage and then bend down and offer her my hand. She gives me another shy smile before taking it and allowing me to pull her in.

"There," I say once we're all settled. "They're going to love you."

Cinderella, District 10

The crowd cheers as the District 9 carriage lurches forward carrying its two dark-haired, tan tributes. I take a deep breath.

"Are you ready?" Henry asks quietly. I nod.

I plant my feet and manage to keep my balance when, after a few more seconds of waiting, we finally lurch forward after them. I'm happy and relieved when, despite our less-than-thrilling costumes, we receive just as much applause as everyone else. A little girl in the front row throws a bouquet of flowers at us, and Henry lunges forward and catches it. He pulls half of the flowers away and hands them to me. We both wave our half-bouquets up in the air to even more applause, and I smile. I may not be happy to be here, but at least in this moment, I feel special. I've never been the favorite back home, especially after my father died and left me with just my stepmother and her two daughters. When I was reaped, they came to say goodbye, and they didn't seem _happy—_they're not _that_ horrible—but there certainly weren't any tears shed either. And I couldn't help feeling that their life wouldn't be very different at all without me there, aside from having to find someone else to make their tea. I've always felt invisible. But at least here, for one moment, the whole country finally recognizes me.

_**Okay, now we're hopefully back on track! Stay tuned for training next Sunday!**_


	4. Training

_**I STINK! I'm sorry this chapter is late, but i think it's longer than the other ones, so hopefully that makes up for it? I'm just at a crazy time in my life right now, especially during March. I'll keep doing my best, and hopefully I'll go back to being (or START being) consistent in April. But I'm doing the best I can, I promise!**_

Jasmine, District 9

I blink my eyes open after another mostly sleepless night and slowly sit up. Some sunlight has entered the room, and I pull back the curtain to let in some more. I lean against the windowsill and gaze out at the city below us. Everything is so different here. The hustle and bustle existed back home, but somehow, there was a completely different energy surrounding it. The markets back home were nothing like the chic storefronts here, and there are so many people, while back home, there was a sense of family, and you knew everyone you passed on the street. I watch the little ant-people hurry by one another on the sidewalks without acknowledging one another. Maybe most people are only here for the Games, so they have some hotel or event to hurry off to. Wouldn't want to miss any of the festivities. Although, what they see on tv for the next three days will probably be fairly boring. There will be no live events featuring the tributes, at least. We'll be busy with something else: training.

I don't bother getting dressed because I know we'll be given our training uniforms anyway. I head out to the kitchen, sitting down at the table and nibbling on some toast. I finish fairly quickly and head back down the hallway towards my room, almost bumping into my district partner, Aladdin, as he rushes out of his own room on the way to breakfast. We exchange a shy smile before I hurry back into my room. I curl up on the bed for a few minutes, absently running my fingers through my long, dark hair and thinking of home. Finally, my stylist knocks on the door and gives me the training uniform, a simple, grey and black one-piece, and before I know it, Aladdin and I are alone in the elevator, on our way to finally witness all of our opponents for the first time.

We don't say much—that is, we don't say anything at all—before the elevator doors slide open and we enter the training center. A small crowd of tributes is already gathered in the center, anxiously awaiting instructions. Here we go.

Eric, District 4

Ariel squeezes my hand and jerks her head towards the door. I turn to see the District 1 tributes enter, and I nod. I'm pretty relieved at how sane they seem. Hopefully, we can work out an alliance with them, preferably one that doesn't fall into insanity once we reach the arena. It's not them that worry me—if there's anyone to be unsure of, it's those District 2 tributes. But I won't know anything until I've at least spoken to all of them.

The head trainer wraps up her basic instructions and releases us to do whatever we want. I smirk as some tributes turn and literally sprint for the stations they want. Are you kidding me? We have three whole days. Ten seconds is not going to make a difference.

I stop myself. I have to remember that no one else here has spent their whole life training. For them, maybe ten seconds _will_ make a difference.

"Hey! Fours! Over here!" I turn to see the huge District 2 male beckoning to us, already standing with his partner and the two from 1. Ariel looks to me for confirmation. I nod to her and we join them.

"Alright," he says, leading us into a corner. "I just need a few minutes. Are we all interested in the Career alliance?" I nod, watching everyone else do the same.

"Alright. Let's get the introductions over with, make sure we're all on the same page, and then we'll all be able to do whatever we want for the next three days. I'm Shang, from Two."

"I'm Mulan," his partner says.

"I'm Rapunzel and this is Flynn," says the girl from One.

"I'm Eric."

"I'm Ariel."

"Good. So you've all trained? You all feel strong enough?" We nod. "Alright. Let me just clarify, I'm not interested in being your dictator. I have ideas of what we need to discuss for the moment, but we should probably all try to be equals. Does that sound fair?" We nod again. "Okay, so first order of business, are we interested in adding anyone else to our alliance?"

"That girl seems pretty good to me," says Flynn, pointing. We all turn to see a girl with flaming red hair at the archery station. She's aiming an arrow at a target that already has three arrows embedded right in the center of the bull's-eye.

"We should probably wait," says Rapunzel. "We can watch them for a few days, and then on the last day of training, we can decide if we want to ask them." Everyone nods in agreement.

"Alright, if no one has anything else to add, I guess we should each do whatever we planned on doing here," Shang says. Ariel grabs my hand, grinning, and tugs me over to the trident station. I shake my head, smiling.

Ariel, District 4

I grab the first trident I see and grin. It feels so natural in my hands. Our father always carried one with him, so I took an interest in the weapon at a young age. I trained with my six sisters, but none of them ever volunteered. There was always one excuse or another: one never wanted to train in the first place, one had a panic attack on the day of the reaping, one had a friend who really wanted to volunteer instead, one had an instructor who told her she shouldn't because she wasn't good enough, and the other two simply didn't make it to the stage quickly enough and were beaten out by other volunteers. I've never been particularly attached to the idea of volunteering myself, but I knew I was the last of the family, so I was the last chance.

I did often wonder whether our father truly wanted us to go anyway. I think he didn't mind the training lifestyle, as long as we never actually volunteered and endangered our lives. I would have been happy to stay, but I felt this intense pressure to get out from under the shadow of six sisters, and I also just wanted to find a way to escape. Not escape exactly, because I would still live with all of them, but I would be escaping our old lifestyle and returning to a new one.

Not to mention our fight. The morning of the reaping ceremony, my sisters were all flocking around me in my room, doing my hair, makeup, and outfit. I hadn't been particularly excited to volunteer, but in that moment, I was completely happy. I was finally going to rise above my sisters, be the most admired member of the family, and become a part of the Capitol world. I know they're corrupt here, but the glamor and excitement of everything still draws me in much more that the never-ending smell of the ocean, everything salty and fishy instead of fresh, shiny, and new, the way it is here. I was so excited to finally become a part of it.

And then my father came in, kicked my sisters out, and sat down. He was upset with me. He told me that I shouldn't be doing this, that he was worried, that I was too young, that it was too dangerous. Looking back now, I understand his concern, but at the time, he just made me angry. He had brought down my good mood with his serious scolding, like always. I had gotten angry with him. I told him that I was no longer a child, that I could do whatever I wanted. Then I stormed out of the house and went to the site of the ceremony hours early, so I ended up right up next to the stage. So when they called for volunteers, I made it right up there.

I keep wondering over and over why I did that, why I acted so impulsively. But as I swing the trident around and crush Eric in our mini-duels, I can't help feeling that maybe I _do_ belong here.

Aladdin, District 9

"Need help?"

Jasmine jumps and looks over her shoulder at me. "Oh… Um…" She glances down at the sticks in her hand.

I squat down behind her and put my hands over hers. With my guidance, she scrapes the sticks together and blows until she finally manages to create a spark of flame. She smiles at me. "Thank you," she says shyly.

"Come on." I grab her hand and pull her to her feet before leading her to the agility station, a sort of obstacle course. She hesitates. "It's not so bad," I say. "Look." I let go of her hand and leap forward, flying over hurdles, rolling under planks, and swinging from poles until I land safely on the end mat.

"That took you one minute and forty-eight seconds," the instructor informs me, smiling.

"Pshhh. I bet you can do better than that, Jasmine," I say. "Come on." I set her up at the start of the course and lead her through, telling her when to jump, when to duck, when to dodge, until she reaches the end.

"Two minutes and twenty-three seconds."

"Ahh man! You can do way better than that!" I tease.

We do the course again and again until she finally beats my original time. Gasping for air, we collapse on the ground, grinning and catching our breath for a minute.

"So uh… Would you want to be allies?" I ask.

She turns to stare at me with wide, dark, shocked eyes. "Me? Um… Well, sure, yes, of course!"

I smile. "Great."

_**Sorry this ends kind of abruptly :) Next chapter will be... At some time as soon as possible. I'm not gonna say a specific date because then I'll just feel bad for missing it. But again, it will be ASAP! The actual Games are fast approaching!**_


	5. Private Sessions

_**Here are the tributes from 7 and 11! This chapter uploaded all glitchy at first, but it's hopefully fixed now. You'll see me mention this again later, but sometimes the chapters get all messed up after I upload them. If this happens, please let me know and I can fix it!**_

Pocahontas, District 11

"Tiana, District Three."

I sigh and try not to slump down in my seat. They couldn't possibly have only gone through five people so far, could they? The waiting is excruciating. This is a huge disadvantage to the tributes in the higher-numbered districts like me: once the others are done, they can go straight up to their rooms, get some rest, and maybe strategize with their mentors some more. But not us. We'll practically be the last ones to go. I suppose that would be an advantage if you still needed time to decide what to show to the judges, but my partner, John, and I already each know what we plan to do: I'm just going to show my survival skills, and John is going to demonstrate his skill with some long-distance weapons, I believe.

However, we haven't spoken very much at all. We technically live in the same District, but we may as well live on opposite ends of the planet. I consider myself a true District 11 citizen, working in the corn fields and bringing in the harvest. From what I know, John belongs to an elite circle of wealthy families in the center of the District that possesses all the power—the law-makers, the law-enforces, the explorers, the ones who communicate with the Capitol and other districts. It's a completely different life from the one I've known. But it seems that didn't protect him from being reaped just like anyone else.

"Eric, District Four."

The tall, dark-haired boy rises from his seat, leaving the final Career, his redheaded district partner, unhappily alone. She sighs and glances at the rest of us. Before the doors close behind him, Eric quickly turns and gives his partner one last meaningful look. She rolls her eyes. "I know," she hisses at him. When the doors close, she waits for a moment, and then stands. She walks towards the center of the room. Is she coming to talk to me? For a moment, I'm startled and confused, but the moment passes as she turns and maneuvers around the tables, headed for someone else, leaving me alone with my thoughts again for who knows how long.

Hercules, District 7

Merida straightens up when she sees the red-haired Career's movement. "Is she coming to us?" she asks me softly. I glance over. The girl's gaze is certainly fixed on the two of us.

"Hey, guys," she says once she reaches us. "Merida and Hercules, right? I'm Ariel."

"Hello," Merida says cautiously.

"So listen, um, we've been talking it over, and we were wondering if you guys wanted to join our alliance?"

Merida glances at me unsurely.

"I mean, an alliance of two is nice, but eight? We'd be unstoppable!" Ariel says.

"Oh…"

"We weren't…"

"Um…"

Merida and I exchange an awkward glance as we try to explain.

"We weren't exactly planning on being allies anyway," I say.

"Oh! I just assumed you would be since you're district partners and everything… Well, that's alright! You can still join us!"

"Thanks, but I think I'll be going it alone," Merida says, giving her a determined stare.

"Oh… Are you sure?" Merida nods firmly. "Well… Alright… And um…" she turns to me. I open my mouth, not even sure what my answer will be.

"Ariel, District Four," the loudspeaker drones.

"Oh, that's me," Ariel says, turning to go. "Think about it, though," she says. She looks at the two of us. "Both of you. We could really use your help." She meanders back between the tables and out the door.

Merida sighs. "Can you believe that?"

"Oh… I don't know…"

Her round, green eyes widen in shock. "You don't mean…"

I shrug. "I might join them."

"But you hardly know them! How can you rely on someone else when your own life is in danger?"

I sigh. "I don't know. All I know of that I'm obviously really strong, but I know nothing about how these Games will work. I don't know anything about strategies or survival or navigating an arena. I could use their protection, at least for a little while." She frowns. "I'm not like you, Merida. You'll be fine on your own. You know the woods. You know your weapon. You don't need other people like I do."

She huffs, crossing her arms and slouching down in her seat. We don't really say anything else until I'm finally called in.

Merida, District 7

Well, you can't exactly say my performance is unpredictable, not if you've been watching me during the last three days. I walk in the room and go straight for the bows. Hercules is right. I don't know about his decisions for himself, but he's right about me. I don't need anyone. And now is when I start proving that.

I pull back the first arrow and let it fly. Soon I hit all the targets at the station. I grab a stack of quills and run over to the throwing-knives station, hitting all of those targets too. I smile to myself as I remember the festivals we had back home. I would always participate in the shooting competition. I would always win. I can't remember the last time I missed a bull's-eye.

I'm not used to losing. I always do everything it takes to win. The question is whether I'll do the same here. So far, my answer is yes, I will do what I have to do to win this new contest. After all, it really is supposed to be just a game.

John Smith, District 11

I rub my eyes and sit up on the couch as the Hunger Games logo finally appears on the screen and the scores are revealed. This is where the true strategizing begins. Pocahontas and I were both advised to write these down, and we've both taken this advice. We ready our pens as the first scores appear.

Flynn gets a 9 and Rapunzel gets an 8. No surprises there. They've been training their whole lives.

Shang and Mulan both get 9's as well. The Careers are certainly tough this year. I take in their stern glares until they fade from the screen.

Naveen gets a 5 and Tiana gets a 4. These two are pretty forgettable. I just need to make sure they don't have something up their sleeves.

Eric and Ariel both get 8's. There's a complete Career pack this year, but it's possibly not as terrifying as ones in the past have been.

Kristoff gets a 6 and Anna gets a 5. Two more that I need to learn more about.

Adam gets a 5 and Belle gets a 4. These two seem more intelligence, strategy-based, so they probably aren't relying on high scores anyway.

Hercules and Merida both get 9's. My eyes widen. Are they joining the Careers? I saw Ariel speaking with them briefly today. Now I see why.

Phillip gets a 6 and Aurora gets a 4. They seem pretty harmless, but again, I'll have to pay attention during their interviews.

Aladdin gets a 7 and Jasmine gets a 5. He's gotten he highest score so far, besides the Career-material tributes, which doesn't surprise me since he seemed pretty agile.

Henry and Cinderella also receive 4's. I'm having trouble keeping all of these tributes straight. But is it really necessary to get to know them if they pose no threat? _Yes,_ I remind myself. No taking risks.

Now it's our turn. I receive a 7, and Pocahontas gets a 5. Pretty solid, especially for our district. I don't want a spotlight on me like those District 7 tributes, but I also don't want people to think I'm not even someone to worry about, so this score works for me.

Florian gets a 4 and Snow White gets a 3. Poor District 12.

The hosts close off the broadcast with meaningless banter, and I rise from the couch. I nod goodnight to Pocahontas and head for my room. I have a lot to review, and I need to get some rest before I prepare to watch the interviews, give my own interview, and of course, fight in the Games.

_**Yay! Just to clarify, Hercules is still really big and muscular in this, but he's not immortal. That wouldn't exactly be fair :) There's only one more chapter (the interviews) and then the next chapter will be the Bloodbath! Get ready!**_


	6. Live Interviews

_***Insert usual Sorry-this-took-a-while-enjoy-the-chapter speech***_

Flynn, District 1

"Alright, sir, I think you're ready," says my stylist, stepping back and flashing his weirdly white teeth in a huge grin at me.

He weirds me out with the way he views me like a piece of art and not like an actual human being, but it _is_ his job. And I've had trainers who have viewed me in the same way. Anyway, at least I really do like what he's given me. The more casual look instead of the usual suit makes me look more relaxed and ready to start the Games, which I would say is an accurate portrayal. The open collar, fitting pants, and riding boots combination would almost qualify as a typical tribute uniform. It suits me perfectly.

The door opens, and Rapunzel pokes her head in. "Um… They're ready for us to go," she says with a hesitant smile. I nod and follow her out.

It's only when I've opened the door completely and gotten a full look at her that I realize how absolutely beautiful she looks.

Her signature mile-long hair has been tied into a thick braid so that the end doesn't even touch the ground. They've also stuck all sorts of little flowers in her hair, and she wears a light purple dress that brings out her hair and eyes. Listen to me. What am I even saying? What do I even know about this type of stuff? I quickly clear my head and jokingly offer her my arm. She raises an eyebrow, smirks back, and briskly hooks her arm through mine, cocking up her chin and marching forward. We march like this until we reach the backstage area, where other tributes slowly file in behind us. I'm tempted to look behind me to see who else we're working with and what everyone looks like, but there will be plenty of time for that later. I need to focus right now. After Rapunzel starts, I'll only have three minutes until my own interview. I'm not that nervous—I'm going with a laid-back angle. After all, that's my true personality anyway, right?

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to our final interviews!" I jerk my head up to look out onto the now-lit stage where the interviewer and host, who has always referred to himself as merely "The Ringmaster," begins his introductions. I see that he's still wearing his signature red coat and top hat, and has not lost his curled mustache or stout, round appearance.

I'm still staring at him when he suddenly cries, "I won't make you wait a moment longer, ladies and gentleman, HERE THEY COME!"

Rapunzel immediately strides forward onto the stage, grinning and waving as everyone cheers. I easily break into a laid-back manner, strolling right behind her and smirking at the audience, and unless I'm crazy, a few female voices near the front are screaming my name.

We sit on the end, and I exchange a nod with Mulan, who sits on my other side. The Ringmaster makes a few more final remarks before he finally calls Rapunzel up to being the first interview.

Tiana, District 3

I'm so torn on how I feel about this dress. Of course, it's beautiful. The light green fabric is more expensive-feeling and high-quality than anything I've touched in my life. And I imagine I must look more beautiful than I ever have in my life. But I don't really feel any better about what's to come. I'm not at an advantage. Every single person up here looks beautiful. But on top of that, they all have personalities or skill. I'm just an aspiring businesswoman from District 3. I don't know how to fight or survive or…

I need to stop. I've thought these things to myself over and over again, but now is not the time. If I'm so worried about my disadvantages, I can get rid of one of them: not having the slightest idea who I'm up against. All I have to do is pay attention.

The District 1 girl is absolutely beautiful. She doesn't even need a stylist or a beautiful gown to look that way. But she _did_ have a stylist, and she _is_ wearing a dress. So now I'm sure her wide, wonderstruck eyes, round face, and of course, her beautiful golden hair, have gotten the entire audience in her dainty hands. _Plus,_ from what she's saying, she seems to have a training background. This is ridiculous. How am I supposed to compete with these people?

Her partner doesn't make me feel any better. He's probably dressed the most casually of anyone here, but somehow, it works to his advantage. It's like he doesn't need to fall all over himself to impress anyone because he already knows he can do well. And I don't doubt that he can.

The District 2 girl, Mulan, is dressed more simply, in a pink, blue, and red long-sleeved gown. Although I guess that's still pretty fancy, huh? She's very serious. She refuses to play along with any of the Ringmaster's attempts at jokes, but she still manages to get across the message that she's completely prepared for these Games, with the motive of bringing honor to her family riding behind her.

Shang is just as serious, if not more. I barely listen to him at all. I'm too busy taking in his enormous form and worrying, because I'm up next. How on earth am I supposed to follow him?

When he calls my name, I remember my other issue with this dress: the skirt is _huge,_ and I'm not sure if I can stand up without it getting in my way. But I have to try. I gather up the folds and slide them up, pulling myself up and managing to teeter only slightly before successfully standing on my feet and wobbling over to the Ringmaster.

My interview manages to somehow drag on and fly by at the same time. I tell him about how I was a waitress back at home, and how I was saving up to open my own restaurant one day, and thankfully, the Ringmaster somehow manages to spin it around and gush about how I must be extremely determined and independent-minded. I don't argue with him, and then he says something about how if I have as much determination in the Games as I do about my restaurant, then I'm sure to win. I just smile uncomfortably. "Hey, and with your winner's earnings, you probably wouldn't even need to worry about that restaurant anyway, eh?" he says.

"Oh, but I would still open it anyway," I say eagerly.

He eyes me, looking a little taken aback, but he just says, "Ah, so you're a hard worker through and through! Something certainly to be admired!" Thankfully, the buzzer finally rings, and I'm extremely grateful to hobble back to my seat.

I don't know why the stylists put Naveen and me in matching attire—his suit is the same shade of green as my dress—because we've barely even spoken to each other. Granted, I could probably do with being a little more friendly, but I just don't see the point in making friends here. After all, only one of us can go home. Even now, I have little interest in what he's saying to the Ringmaster.

Ariel from District 4 is another annoyingly beautiful one. I'm sure her soft pink gown has wide appeal to the Capitol audience, and her red hair makes her memorable. She explains how she's in an alliance with her partner and the tributes from 1 and 2. I should have expected as much, but this confirmation doesn't make me feel any better. They'll be unstoppable.

Eric is in a simple shirt, fitted pants, and boots like Flynn, and is also strong and handsome. I can almost hear the rush of coins as the all of the Capitol's sponsor money flows straight into this alliance.

I like the District 5 pair a bit more. Anna also wears a green dress, but the top half is much darker and the skirt is much slimmer than mine. She has her hair tied up with a green ribbon, and although I find her quite likeable, I can't help resenting her knowing that the audience will probably sympathize with her too.

Her partner, Kristoff, is fairly forgettable, so I don't really need to worry about sponsors as much, but he talks about how he hauls ice for a living, so he seems very strong, and he must be deft with a pickaxe, so he's probably solid with similar weapons. He's not one I can brush off either.

Could I beat the District 6 girl in a fight? Possibly. Will I do better than her in the Games? Possibly not. She talks about how she loves to read and has been reading about the Games all her life, so she'll probably have some brilliant strategy and outsmart us all. Plus, once again, she's beautiful, with a gorgeous golden gown with a skirt as big as mine.

Her partner, Adam, is hard to read. He seems a little nervous, but he's about as big and strong-looking as the other male tributes, so I'm sure he could hold his own in a fight.

It's now that I realize that we're only halfway through the interviews, and I've been worried about every single tribute. I _have_ to try to be more optimistic. If only it were easier.

Naveen, District 3

Here comes another girl in a green dress. But it's hard to mix her up with the others—I think we've all had our eyes on her. Her flaming red hair and crazy skills with a bow make her hard to overlook. Although her interview reveals nothing special, she's still someone we're all watching out for.

Her partner is no different. Hercules is the biggest person here, so he could have absolutely no skills and still be a tough one to beat.

Aurora is very soft-spoken, but her hesitant answers and meek manners somehow come across as sweet and charming, and her pink dress and golden hair can't be a bad thing among the Capitol audience.

Her partner is a little more forgettable, but he still radiates a kind of nobility and determination that could easily be admired.

The District 9 girl, Jasmine, comes across as fairly shy and mysterious, but she hesitantly admits how much she's looking forward to teaming up with her district partner. Again, she'll probably draw in some sponsors, especially since the outfit her stylist gave her shows a little more skin.

Aladdin wins the crowd's hearts. He's easygoing, funny, and confident, but also shows a soft side by vowing to protect his district partner.

The District 10 girl is beautiful. Her blond hair is swept up to reveal her pale, blue-eyed face, and she wears a light blue gown just as huge as Tiana's. Although she seems not to be a threat, she may be able to earn a few sponsor points.

Her partner is fairly boring. He wears a nice, pale yellow suit that makes him look pretty classy, but he has almost no personality whatsoever.

The District 11 girl is another confident-seeming one. She wears a simple, shorter brown dress, and strongly states that she knows how to survive in the wild, find food, and defend herself. The audience may not be particularly fond of her, but she doesn't seem to need them.

Her partner seems a little over-confident to me. He talks all about how he's strong and knows how to use a sword, but I could see him starving to death instead if he's not careful.

The District 12 girl is hard to watch. She has a nice dress on, and she looks lovely with her night-black hair, snow-white skin, and blood-red lips, but she cries for the entirety of her interview, just saying over and over again how "dreadfully frightened" she is.

Her partner isn't much better. He tried to put on this flashy presentation of how he knows how to defend himself like a real man or something, but I don't think he really knows what his plan is. He and his partner kind of make the interviews fizzle out.

Nevertheless, the Ringmaster thanks him graciously and proceeds to thank us all again. We all rise to thunderous applause, and then he has only to wish us odds that are ever in our favor and we're off the air.

Rapunzel, District 1

"Hey, hold the elevator!"

Flynn quickly holds down the "open" button until the pair has shuffled into the elevator with us. They've made it considerably more crowded—the girl's green gown takes up practically the entire elevator on its own. As we begin to rise, she sighs and slowly tugs off her white, elbow-length gloves. She shakes her hair out of its up-do and pulls out her pearl earrings. She still looks lovely. She stands in silence for a few moments before she glances up and makes eye contact with me. She makes an awkward grimace that must be an attempt at a smile and quickly drops her gaze.

"That's a beautiful dress," I say.

She laughs and shakes her head at the floor.

"What?"

She shakes her head again. "I just…" She's interrupted by the ding of the elevator as the doors slide open to reveal Floor 3. She and her partner shuffle out without another word. Flynn and I glance at each other in confusion as the doors close behind them.

"What's up with them?" he asks.

"I don't know," I say sadly. "I guess they're just in over their heads. They must all be."

I spend the rest of the evening realizing how lucky we are and how different the atmosphere on our floor must be from the atmospheres on others. Everyone just kind of mills around, grabbing snacks and chatting idly. Other tributes might be having panic attacks or last-minute planning sessions. After an hour or so, I take a shower, wash the rest of my makeup off, put on a set of pajamas, and crawl into the soft bed, complete with fresh sheets. I feel full, rested, clean, excited, and ready for whatever tomorrow will bring.

_**Bloodbath next chapter! Brace yourselves...**_


	7. The Bloodbath

**_Ok, the good news is that the Bloodbath is finally here (although I guess that's a little weird to consider that good news). The bad news is that I have a bunch of big exams to prepare for in the next month or so, so I can't promise there will be a new chapter before May 14th (the date of my last exam). I will write if I have any spare time between re-learning my country's entire history :p Anyway, here is the Bloodbath! Enjoy (I think?)_**

Eric, District 4

"Five minutes," the robotic voice announces. I rise from my chair and take a deep breath before letting it out in a huff. Once again, I try to imagine what the arena is going to be. We've been given a dark green t-shirt, black pants, and black boots, so it will probably be woodsy and hopefully not too cold. It doesn't really matter. I'll be finding out soon enough.

I grab one last sip of water from the small table of refreshments and climb onto my plate. My stylist silently shakes my hand and gives me a solemn nod. He backs away as the clear tube closes around me. I look straight up as the plate begins to rise. As I near the top, I can see light, but not particularly bright. As I finally rise completely into the arena and my plate comes to a stop, I finally take it all in.

We're in an area of woods, thick enough to cover us all in shade. The trees grow fairly close to one another, and the ground is covered in pine needles, but there is a tiny clearing so that there are no trees between the Cornucopia and us. But I do mean tiny: While tributes are normally around 150 feet from the Cornucopia, we're about 50 feet away.

Looking around, I can't tell what lies in the rest of the arena. For all I know, the woods end in a quarter of a mile, or they continue and cover the entire arena. The one thing that I can make out is a looming, snowy mountain, far in the distance, and even from here, I can see something huge and gold near the top that catches the light. But I have no time to think about that for now. We only have a few seconds left.

In the remaining time, I look around. The girl from 3, Tiana, is to my right, with Florian from 12 beyond her, and the District 9 girl, Pocahontas, is to my left, with Naveen beyond her. I don't have time to look for anyone else as the seconds dwindle down.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1…

The gong sounds.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tiana immediately turn and flee into the trees. That's alright. She's one we can afford to let get away. I spot a sword lying on the ground as I near the Cornucopia, but as I'm about to lunge for it, I'm intercepted by Florian from 12. We're caught in a wrestling match for a moment before I shove him aside, get my hands on the sword, whirl back around, and quickly make him the first death of the Games. I turn back and run straight to the mouth of the Cornucopia. I've managed to get here first, so now I have to stay here and stand guard, according to our plan.

This actually isn't so bad. No one can sneak up on me, and I can just watch what's happening. Well, about half of it anyway—who knows what's going on around the other side.

Pocahontas runs into view, only to be tackled to the ground by Rapunzel. They grapple for a moment, and I'm just about to run out and help her when Pocahontas finally scrambles to her feet and sprints away, a sack of supplies still on her back. Rapunzel lets out a huff, brushes herself off, and grumpily joins me.

"You alright?" I say.

"I guess. There's nothing left on the other side where we can't see, so everyone else should be coming over here, but Anna, Adam, and Belle all already got away with supplies. I shouldn't have let Pocahontas get away too."

I scoff. "You didn't even have a weapon on you. What were you supposed to do?"

She pauses for a moment, and then she laughs. "I don't know, actually! I guess I just—"

She's cut off by a horrible thudding sound. We both look up to see Naveen fall to the ground, Merida's arrow imbedded in his chest. She stands frozen for a moment, bow still in hand, and then she runs for the woods.

Kristoff, District 5

I'm pressed against the Cornucopia, watching everyone around me and waiting for a sign of whether I should run or fight. I already have a small bag on my back and a spear in my hands, but I'm waiting to see what's best to do next. A few feet away from me, Flynn is fighting Aladdin and Jasmine—well, fighting Aladdin with Jasmine protectively shoved behind him.

A distance away from them, Shang is bearing down on Cinderella, but Henry, her district partner, pushes her aside. "Have no fear," he says bravely, standing face-to-face with Shang. But the poor boy doesn't even have a weapon to defend himself. I look away as the lives of the District 10 tributes come to an end.

By this time, Aladdin and Jasmine have managed to shake Flynn off. As they escape and disappear into the trees, I'm distracted by a pitiful whimpering sound around the corner, near the back of the Cornucopia. I slide along the wall and peer around to see Snow White curled up in a ball, crying to herself. She couldn't have at least tried to run?

Mulan comes running from the other direction, skidding to a stop with Snow White at her feet. Snow White looks up, gasps in fear, and then continues right on sobbing. Mulan gives her a grim expression of sympathy before raising her sword and doing her best to end it quickly. Then she continues her lap around the Cornucopia, slowing in front of me. I raise my spear against her sword. She hesitates.

"Mulan!" someone calls from what must be the inside of the Cornucopia. She glances towards the call, turns back to me, narrows her eyes, and sprints away.

That's it, I'm getting out of here. There's one more bag straight ahead of me. I push off the Cornucopia and sprint for it, getting there right at the same time as Phillip from 8. We grapple for it before I realize that he too has a sword.

"Phillip!" It's his district partner, running over in alarm as she realizes that he's in danger.

"Aurora, get away!" he warns, but he's too late as, getting an idea, I leap up and force her to pin herself against the Cornucopia as I point my spear at her. "Don't come any closer," I warn Phillip as I hear him leap up behind us.

"Let her go!" he cries.

"Give me the bag," I say. I glance towards him and watch as he drops his sword and slowly approaches with the bag. I take it, nod, and back off. The second Aurora is out of range of my spear, they're both sprinting for the cover of the woods. I decide it's high time I follow their example and whirl around to escape in the opposite direction, only to be blocked by yet another scuffle. Ariel is in a full-on duel with John Smith, and although she's a Career and he isn't, all the training in the world wouldn't give her the natural strength that he has. She blocks all of his swings, but there's nothing she can do as each blow sends her stumbling back a step, until finally, she's pinned against the Cornucopia.

It would be useful information to see how this turns out, but I need to get away. I finally run into the trees, but I can't help looking back when I hear one more body slump to the ground.

Hercules and Ariel stand over Smith's fallen body, Hercules' sword still held stiffly. Ariel gazes up at him in shock until she finally un-freezes and leaps up, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting him twirl her around. Still grinning, she grabs his hand and tugs him towards the mouth of the Cornucopia, where the other Careers are emerging.

Oh no. I'm still only a few yards away, and clearly visible. What am I doing? I turn away and sprint off. All right, that's the last time I forget that I'm an actual competitor in these Games. No more just standing there like some invisible audience member. It's time to focus and play these Games like someone who intends to win.

_**This felt a lot longer when I was writing it, but it actually turned out really short. Oh well, that's how I feel at the end of pretty much any chapter. Again, sorry for all the excuses, but the next chapter will be up asap, where you'll see some more of the arena and some new alliances!**_


	8. A Whole New World

_**Turns out this chapter didn't upload properly! Thanks for letting me know! Hopefully it's fixed now! Here's the rest of the day after the Bloodbath!**_

Belle, District 6

I freeze in my tracks for what must be the hundredth time. Once again, I wait for about ten seconds of silence before deciding that, once again, I didn't actually hear anything and it's just my imagination. And then once again, I walk on.

I've only stopped a few times to collect plants and berries that I know are edible. Tributes who don't learn to recognize these resources seem to _always_ end up regretting it, so I'm glad I spent so much time at the edible plants station. I've been building up a pretty good stash of food for the past few hours. Although, it doesn't really feel like I've made any significant progress towards my destination: the mountain.

Not that I mind. There's some giant gold thing at the top that's meant to lure us up there, I'm sure, but if I know the Gamemakers, we can't rely on it being anything good. And I'm certainly not looking forward to the long climb to the top. But maybe, just maybe, there will be something of use up there to reward us for braving the climb. A lot of the mountain is completely bare, with no way to hide or get out of the way of something like an avalanche. But again, maybe there will be a reward for my bravery.

The two real reasons for my decision to climb the mountain were that first of all, chances are slim that anyone else decided to climb the mountain, or even if they do, it will take them a few days to reach that decision. The other reason is that my only other choice is to basically wander the forest, which is pretty much flat-out asking the Gamemakers to throw some mutt or tribute at me to spice things up. If they see me as the tribute dumb enough to face whatever lies on that mountain, maybe they'll leave me alone until I get there, which gives me a few days. I still have to reach the foot of the mountain and then climb it, but I can always glimpse it through the trees. It's already looming closer and closer.

Merida, District 7

The squirrel makes the familiar thudding noise as it falls from the tree and hits the ground at my feet. I remove the arrow and attach the squirrel to my belt. Well, at least dinner for tonight is taken care of. I just wish I knew where I was or where I was going: I've been walking for hours, and there has been absolutely no change in the terrain, the trees, anything. The only landmark is that dreaded mountain in the distance, which I've been keeping behind me to at least make sure I'm going in a straight path and not in circles.

And then suddenly, without warning, the trees stop and I'm in a huge clearing, the afternoon sun brightly shining on a stretch of green grass and reflecting off the white walls of a giant castle. It's just like something out of a fairytale, with its cobblestone surroundings and light blue, pointed spires. I freeze for a moment, taking in its beauty, and then turn and run back the way I came.

I was beginning to get tired of all this sameness, but come to think of it, that's what I prefer. I take note of where I am in comparison to the mountain, just so I know roughly where this landmark is, but I don't plan on coming back here any time soon. The woods are my home, and while the exterior of that castle is beautiful, who knows what lies within.

Jasmine, District 9

"Okay, I _swear_ we've been here before."

I slow to a stop and turn back to look at Aladdin, knowing he must have stopped walking too. "Please," I say, "There's no way you could _possibly_ know whether we've been here before. The entire arena looks the same!"

"We don't know that for sure," Aladdin says. "There's gotta be something beyond these woods. We just have to keep going."

"We don't know that for sure," I say slyly, imitating him. "Maybe the trees just go on forever until a forcefield or a cliff or something."

"There's _gotta_ be something else for us to work with in here," he insists. He glances at the tree next to him, bending his knees slightly.

"Don't even think about it," I say. "You've already climbed two trees today. Remember? You said they're all the same height, so all you see is a 'flat stretch of treetops.'"

He sighs. "I know, I know," he grumbles. "I just want a map or something. I have to know all the areas of the arena."

"Well I mean, there _is_ one way of getting a full view of it," I say.

"What?"

I stare at him with wide eyes. "You really don't know?" I turn around and gesture at the answer looming in the distance. "Climb the mountain."

He raises an eyebrow. "You're a genius. Let's go."

"Wait, really? You mean just go back the way we came?"

"Why not?" And with that, he sets off.

"But we've been going the other way all _day,_" I whine, shuffling behind him.

He stops and points at the endless trees that are now behind me. "Do you really want to keep wandering through the forest forever?"

I sigh. "Guess not."

"Okay, then enough whining. We've got a mountain to climb!" He yells heroically.

"You did not just say that," I mutter to myself, begrudgingly following him back the way we came.

Tiana, District 3

I bring the berry up to my nose and breathe in hesitantly. It smells ok to me…

_No._

I throw it away from me and walk on. I can't risk eating things I don't recognize unless I'm truly on the point of starvation. And considering it's only been a few hours, I'm barely there.

But I _am_ getting pretty hungry. I fled the Bloodbath the second it started, a decision that so far, I don't regret—I got away injury-free. But I also have absolutely nothing on me, which hasn't been an issue so far, but again, it's only been a few hours. And I can feel the clock in my stomach ticking away.

Pocahontas, District 11

I've been going directly north (which happens to be in the direction of the mountain, though I have no intention of climbing it as of right now) since the Bloodbath. I've already used the knife from my bag and some branches to fashion a bow, but I have nothing to use as arrows. I want to sharpen some sticks to use as substitutes, but they're so much worse than the real thing. I guess I'll have to deal with it for now. That's that plan: I've been gathering suitable sticks all day, and when it starts to get dark, I'll stop and sharpen them all.

I suddenly come to a halt, listening. Is that what I think it is? I run on until… yes, there it is. A huge river rushing through the center of the forest. If I can get across this, I'll be pretty much guaranteed a day or two of privacy. Chances are, no one else has found this yet, and if they have, they haven't gotten to the other side: it's too far to jump and too fast to swim across.

This is the hard part. I turn and start to jog along the bank, keeping my eyes on the branches above me. After a few minutes, I stop beneath a long branch that extends almost halfway across the river. Here goes nothing.

I climb the tree until I reach the branch, and then scoot out along it. I pull my bag off my back and brace myself. Once I do this, there's no changing my mind. I hurl the bag away from me, and it lands on the other side of the river. Now for me. I scoot further along the branch until I feel it start to sag. I'm now about three feet away from another branch running parallel to mine that's connected to a tree across the river. I drop down so I'm hanging from the branch by my hands, and then swing one hand out towards the other branch. I fall short a few times, but I finally manage to grab hold. I let go of the first branch and swing over. Then I scramble up onto the branch, scoot to the trunk, and climb down to my bag.

As I stop for another moment to fill up my water canister, I also try to take note of where exactly I am in the arena in case this turns out to be the only water source. But then, not wanting to waste the time I may have just won, I'm on the move again.

Anna, District 5

I slump against a tree once again, fixing one of my braids as I catch my breath. Not that I've been doing anything that physically tough, but it feels like my heart has been pounding nonstop since before I even launched into the arena this morning. This kind of tension tires a person out.

Just like the other times I've stopped to rest, I have a lot of trouble convincing myself to move again. I'm nice and safe here with my back against a tree, making it harder for anyone to sneak up on me. But I can't just stay here. I need to see what's out here before everyone else becomes familiar with the arena and I'm left behind.

But I freeze again at the sound of footsteps. There's no mistaking them. That's a human. And there's nowhere for me to go.

I swear my heart stops beating as a figure comes into view, and then more air than I knew was even possible comes rushing out of me when I see that it's Kristoff. I'm extremely relieved, until I see that he's still eyeing me tensely, crossbow still raised and pointed at me.

"Kristoff?" My voice feels dry and rusty, like I haven't used it in years.

He slowly starts to lower his weapon, but I'm still scared to move. "Are we…?" I put both my hands up. "I mean I thought we were…"

"No, no, you're right," he says apologetically, dropping his arms completely.

I heave another sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! For a second I though you were going to…" I stop, not knowing how to finish that sentence. He just stares at me silently, I guess still trying to figure out what's going on in his head or something. "So uh…" I say, once again not sure how to put this. "Are we… I mean, well… So like… What happens now?" We talked a good amount during training, but we never said anything about working together in the arena. And I certainly wouldn't mind having someone fighting on my side, but I know he wouldn't exactly benefit from having me around.

But to my surprise, he smiles. "What do you mean? We stick together."

I widen my eyes. "You mean it?"

"Of course," he says. "And sorry for scaring you."

"Oh, uh, it's uh, it's no problem," I say. "So… Where do we go now?"

"I was headed for the mountain," Kristoff says. "I need to surround myself with some ice again. You up for it?"

"Do I have a choice?"

He shrugs. "Not really."

Adam, District 6

The sun will be setting before I know it. I need to find somewhere to stop and rest. Judging by the sun, I've been heading west for most of the day, but I've seen nothing but trees.

Until right now. I see the trees thinning up ahead, and I stumble out onto a beach surrounding a lake. I cautiously put a hand in the water and put it to my lips. I immediately grimace. It's some kind of saltwater, but worse-tasting. Definitely not drinkable.

Still, it's as good a spot as any to set up camp for the night. I'm a pretty light sleeper, and no one will be able to sneak up on me if I sleep right out on the beach.

I take a seat a few feet from the water's edge and look around in the fading light. The vast lake still seems to be surrounded by trees on all sides as far as I can see, and as far as I can tell, the water also extends all the way to the north until it meets the mountain. I lean back, still facing the west, as a surprisingly beautiful sunset unfolds over the top of the trees. For a first day in the real live Hunger Games, this certainly hasn't been bad. But I know not to get too comfortable. The Gamemakers are definitely messing with our heads, letting us think we can handle this and waiting to pounce.

Mulan, District 2

"Shang, it really is getting dark. Are we stopping soon?" I have to admit, that Rapunzel girl has some guts always speaking her mind, but she's really just voicing what I'm sure the rest of us are thinking.

"_Yes,_ I already said, we'll stop as soon as we find the right place," Shang says, more than a little exasperated.

"I hate to break it to you, but I think these same trees are about all we're going to get," Rapunzel shoots right back. Honestly, I think she and I are the only two in this alliance who don't find Shang intimidating.

"Guys, I found something!" Flynn calls from up ahead. The rest of us jog to catch up, slowing as we take in the enormous tree in the fading light.

The massive willow tree might be he only one of its kind in the entire arena. More importantly, its fronds dangle into a large pond, the first source of water we've seen.

"We probably shouldn't drink from this until morning when we can see the water better," Eric says, and we nod in agreement, already dropping our bags right beneath the trunk and claiming spots for the night. I find a fairly soft patch of moss and settle down myself, rolling my eyes as I notice Rapunzel's head already rested on Eric's chest and Ariel flirtatiously curling up beside Hercules. She's been all over him all day, ever since he saved her life, which is a heroic act and everything, but she's acting like a silly, love-struck teenage girl. Which I guess is pretty accurate. But still, this is the Hunger Games, not a soap opera.

Seeing the snuggly pairs, Flynn jokingly sidles up next to me, but I bat him away. I'll have no part of that.

"Ouch," he says, winking. "Shang, I guess I'm taking first watch."

Shang nods. "Wake me up in a few hours to take over."

And finally, there's silence. Well, for a few seconds. And then just when I think I've completely settled down, the sky lights up and the anthem blares across the arena.

Phillip, District 8

Aurora jumps at the start of the music, sitting up and no longer slumping against me. We stay on the ground, leaning back against our tree and peering up at the sky. Her grip on my hand tightens as she braces herself.

The first is Naveen from District 3, who I don't think ever really stood out to either of us. After him, the list immediately jumps to Cinderella from 10, which of course means everyone from 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 all survived. She's followed by her partner Henry, John Smith, and Florian and Snow White from 12.

I guess the only real surprise is John Smith, but—

"It's so strange to think that they're really gone," Aurora whispers.

"That's just what I was thinking," I say. She gives a small sniffle before curling up against me. I wrap an arm around her and sigh. It breaks my heart to know it only gets harder from here.


	9. Day 2: No Way Out

**_Here's day 2! Before you read this, I would make sure you've read the previous chapter because something went wrong and it originally didn't upload._**

Ariel, District 4

"Alright, so Ariel, Flynn, and I will stay here, and the rest of you know what to do, right?" Shang asks in his authoritative voice. They all nod once again, some of them trying not to roll their eyes.

"We got it, Shang," Rapunzel says, jabbing him in the arm playfully before slinging her small bag onto her back, grabbing Hercules by the hand, and tugging him away, Mulan and Eric falling in behind them. They're headed back in the direction we came from yesterday, but we figure that's where most of the other tributes will still be.

I mean, they couldn't exactly have gone the other way. We didn't realize it in the fading light yesterday, but our huge tree is at the mouth of an enormous river. By our tree, the water is still and shallow, but a few yards downstream, the water picks up, making it nearly impossible for anyone to have crossed it unless they waded through by this tree.

I settle in with my back against the tree, wrapping my arms around my legs and putting my head down on my knees. I stay curled up like this and drift in and out of sleep for about half an hour before I'm suddenly woken by a loud series of splashes. I lift my head to see Flynn sloshing his way across the shallow river to the other side.

"What are you doing?" Shang asks sharply.

"Going shopping!" Flynn calls back.

_"What?"_ Shang asks.

"I'm lookin' for food and stuff," Flynn says, rolling his eyes.

"We have plenty right here," Shang insists firmly.

"Not really," Flynn says. "Only enough for a couple days. I'm not sitting around anymore. " he calls over his shoulder as he splashes onto the opposite banks and jogs away.

Shang grumbles to himself as he begins to aimlessly shuffle through some supplies. I sigh and curl back up, ready to spend the next twelve hours alone with a cranky Shang. This is going to be a long day.

Kristoff, District 5

Anna lets out another intentionally loud yawn. I let out a sigh of exasperation. "Can I help you, _princess?"_

She frowns at me. "What?"

"Look, I know you're tired, but—"

"Well, yeah, you've had me up since the crack of dawn!"

I try to keep my tone patient, but it comes out kind of condescending. "That's because I knew that was the fastest way for us to—"

"What? Get to your little mountain? Well I'm tired of walking all this way…"

"Anna."

"And I know I said I would be your ally, but it's not so easy to just—slow down, will you?—to just hurry along with…"

"Anna."

_"What?"_

"We're here."

"Huh?" Anna freezes her mouth and her feet. I watch her slowly realize that I was right about us getting an early start as she gazes up at the huge mountain that looms over us.

Flynn, District 1

I stuff the last mushroom from the patch into my bag and move on, whistling quietly to myself. I take my time strolling through the woods, knowing that the chances of running into another tribute on this side of the river are slim. I've tried to catch a few small rodents here and there, but I stupidly didn't bring any long-distance weapons with me.

My thoughts are cut off by an arrow sailing right past my face. I whip my head to the side to see Pocahontas sprinting away from me. I take off after her.

I'm surprised by how fast she is. It takes a lot of effort for me to even keep her in view, let alone catch her. And the only way I can take her down is to actually catch up to her, since I don't have anything to fire at her. But I'm slowly gaining on her, and I'll catch her eventually, a fact she must realize as she looks over her shoulder and sees me getting closer. Acting quickly, she swerves to the side and darts up a tree. By the time I reach it, she's thirty feet up and still going.

I leap up and begin to climb up after her. She stops on a branch well above me, takes out her bow, and fires down at me. The arrow barely misses me. The next one she shoots might meet its target.

I hate to do this, but there's nothing else I can do without risking getting myself killed. I scoff. "You win this time, Eleven!" I call up. She glares down at me, watching as I slide down and take off. Better luck next time, as they say.

Eric, District 4

We've been walking for a few hours now, chatting occasionally and keeping an eye out for other tributes, when suddenly, the trees part to reveal a beautiful blue and white castle.

We all stop and eye one another.

"So… What do we do?" Rapunzel finally asks.

"I… I guess we should go in," I say.

"Are you crazy?" Mulan says. "That thing is probably overflowing with traps. I'm staying out here."

"Alright," I say. "We should have someone to stand guard anyway. Come on, guys," I gesture to Rapunzel and Hercules.

"Wait, we can't just leave Mulan by herself, can we?" Rapunzel says.

I raise an eyebrow at her. "We can't?"

"Eric's right," Mulan cuts in. "I'm fine by myself."

"No, no, I'll stay with you," Rapunzel insists.

"No, we'll be better off having three inside instead of two," I argue.

"No! I'm not leaving Mulan by herself!"

"I'll stay with Mulan," Hercules cuts in, his voice decisive. "You two go ahead." Mulan and I glare at him while Rapunzel gives him a nod of agreement, and then Rapunzel and I slowly approach the huge wooden doors. We glance over our shoulder once before leaning against the door and shoving it open. It creaks loudly as it swings inward to reveal a long, dark hallway, lit only by a few small torches propped on the wall every few feet. Thinking along the same lines, we each take one off the wall and hold it out in front of us as we walk down the hallway, jumping slightly as the door slams shut behind us.

Our footsteps echo off the walls as we make our way down the hallway. We have nowhere to go except forward—there are no doors along the walls, only the endless dim torches.

Rapunzel jumps and leaps back as a mouse scurries across her path.

"You alright?" I ask.

She nods. "Just surprised me."

We continue on until we reach the end of the hallway. Then, we're presented with a choice. To the left is a narrow winding staircase that continues up and up and up, past where we can see. To our right is a door that is cracked open and leads to what seems to be one gigantic room.

"Which way?" I ask quietly.

She hesitates. "I don't know," she says uneasily.

We're silent for a few more seconds before I gesture to the door on the right and say, "Let's go in here," at the same time that she says, "Let's go upstairs." We stare at each other in even more confusion before laughing uncomfortably.

"Alright, I know it's asking for trouble to split up, but…" Rapunzel trails off.

"We'll be okay," I say. "Look, let's split up and meet back here in five minutes. If one of us doesn't show up, we'll know to come help each other."

"Unless we both end up needing help," Rapunzel says grimly.

"We're _Careers,"_ I remind her. "We can do this."

She sighs. "You're right. Five minutes?"

"Five minutes."

She waits a few more seconds. "Well, then I guess I better get climbing," she says, before taking off up the rickety stairs.

I smile before pushing the door open wider and entering the room. I'm taken aback by how beautiful it is. The dark hallway gave me an eerie feeling of night time—this room has gigantic windows all over the ceiling and walls, letting in daylight and illuminating the beautiful room, with its white, shiny floors and decorated, colorful walls. This can only be a ballroom.

It's beautiful, but it still gives me a creepy feeling. On the other end of the room are three more doors, but I shouldn't risk going any further without Rapunzel. I'll have another look around, but then I should get back.

Rapunzel, District 1

I'm panting slightly when I finally reach the top of the stairs. To my surprise, there's only a small room. I cautiously enter it, not noticing anything particularly unusual. There's a bed, a dressing table, a wardrobe, and a small partition for getting dressed behind, I presume. Coughing, I wrench the window open to let in some air. Then I open the doors of the wardrobe to find only a few old dresses. I absently run my fingers through my hair as I look around. There's gotta be something in here of use. They wouldn't just plop a pointless abandoned castle in the middle of the arena, would they?

I fling my hair behind me, letting it stretch for a few feet along the floor when I crouch down to open a bottom drawer of the closet. When I pull on the drawer, nothing happens. It's stuck. I give it another small yank, and instead of opening, the entire wardrobe begins to tip back and forth. Quickly realizing what's happening, I roll out of the way as the wardrobe comes crashing down.

I heave a sigh of relief at being unscathed and slowly begin to sit up. Except something's wrong. I can't lift my head more than about a foot off the floor. And that's when I realize that my hair is pinned under the wardrobe.

I'm about to panic when I remember the plan with Eric. In a few minutes, he'll see I haven't returned, and he'll come back for me. But as I'm forced to lie here on the floor staring at this stinking wardrobe, I've never felt so vulnerable. I can't help it. I start to yell for help.

I lie there yelling for what feels like forever until I finally hear thundering footsteps coming up the stairs, followed by a pounding on the door. "Eric?" I yell.

"I can't get the door open!" His muffled voice calls.

I twist my head around as much as I can and see that the end of the wardrobe landed right against the door. He continues to thump against the door, but it won't budge. The only way to get it open is for me to push the wardrobe out of the way, which I can't do lying down.

My breathing instantly begins to pick up. How could I have let this happen? All my coaches told me again and again that I shouldn't cut my hair, that it was my signature, that it would get me so many sponsors. But what has it done for me? How was I supposed to win the Hunger Games with a mile-long trail attached to my head? I'm finally realizing how stupid I was, and now it's too late.

"Rapunzel?" Eric calls again.

_Keep calm,_ I try to tell myself. _At least you're not by yourself._

"A big wardrobe fell! It's blocking the door!" I call.

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," I say, surprisingly touched by his concern. "I'm stuck though!"

"Okay," he says. "Uh… We'll think of something… I just don't want to go anywhere, you know?"

"Wait, Eric, hold on!" I call as I see a silver parachute approaching the window. It drifts into the room and lands just out of arm's reach. _Come on_. Give a girl a break.

I twist my shoulders, trying to roll towards it as much as I can. My hair is tugged to its limits as I manage to place a fingertip on the corner of the parachute and slide it towards me.

"Everything okay?" Eric calls.

"Someone sent a sponsor gift," I whisper, awestruck. "Someone sent a sponsor gift!" This time, my voice is loud and clear and my joy shines through.

"Really? What is it?"

"Hold on," I say, opening the box. I respond with a sharp intake of breath when I see that the box contains a small pair of scissors.

This will be hard. I've always worn my hair long, ever since I was little. This will be like giving up part of my identity. But I have to think of this small gift as something that will get me out of not only this situation, but also other problems that would have come up later. It's high time this happened.

I awkwardly reach behind me and cut a little at a time, until finally, my head is free. I sit up, shocked by how light my head feels. When I stand, I feel like I could float. I rush over to the mirror at the dressing table and take in the change. The ends are all blunt and jagged. Call me silly, but I take a second to straighten that out, snipping a straight line across the bottom. Then I take in this new me. Huh. I look relatively the same, since my hair still comes down to well past my shoulders, but it's still a big change for me.

"Rapunzel?" Eric calls again uncertainly. Shoot. Realizing how silent it must have been for the last few minutes, I snap back into it. I lean against the wardrobe with all of my weight and push it out of the way fairly easily. Hearing the noise, Eric flings the door open, and I leap into his arms, heaving a sigh of relief and holding him in a tight hug for as long as he'll let me.

"It's okay," he says, sounding confused.

"I thought I was gonna _die_ in there," I say. "Can you imagine? Like, it's one thing to go out in a fight, but to be stuck lying there for what, three days? And you just slowly starve and you can't do anything and—" my breathing has picked back up.

"Hey, hey," he says, grabbing my shoulders. "It's over now. Okay?" I nod. Then he notices my hair. "Hey…"

"Yeah, that's why I was stuck," I say. I hold up the gift. "This is what they sent."

He smiles. "Well, let's make sure to thank them," he says.

"Oh, right," I say. I smile up at the ceiling and wave. "That you so much!" I say, and I know I sound genuinely grateful, because I am.

We start to descend, but about ten steps down, one of the thin wooden steps snaps and falls all the way down to the bottom. We leap back, looking at each other.

"Well, we could hop over and keep going, but I get the feeling that it will keep happening," he says. I sigh and nod in agreement. We dejectedly turn back around and climb back to the top.

"Now what?" he says. I take his hand and pull him back into the small bedroom, leaning out the window. He looks over my shoulder.

"This is doable," I say.

"Definitely," he agrees. This bedroom is kind of in its own tower that sticks out above the main roof, so just outside the window is a stretch of roof that we can step out onto. I climb out and he follows me as I shuffle across the roof, looking for a way down. Eric spots it, a thick set of vines growing along the back wall. We carefully climb down, finally reaching firm ground once again.

"Remind me why we went in there again?" Eric says. I just laugh and shake my head. We jog around the castle until we reach the front, where we left Mulan and Hercules waiting for us.

Except they're not there anymore.

Adam, District 6

I had been walking around, minding my own business, when out of nowhere, a huge white castle came into view. I had barely taken it in when suddenly, two Careers were sprinting at me. I guess they had been standing out front or something. And now I'm running for my life.

I sprint aimlessly though the woods for ages, desperately searching for somewhere to get away. But I should know better. The endless trees are all the same. There's nowhere to hide.

Or is there? After running and running, I suddenly come across a small cottage. I can hear the Careers behind me. It might not be the best idea to shut myself into a small house with two Careers, but it's also not the best choice to just keep running. I sprint inside and slam the door.

Luckily, the door has a thick wooden latch that I quickly lower into place. Within seconds, the two Careers are at the door, hammering away, but luckily, the wood holds up. After a few minutes, they seem to have a brief argument, followed by receding footsteps. I wait a little longer before cautiously opening the door. They really are gone.

I can't deal with this. With the Careers wandering around and with no real weapons on me, I'm too vulnerable, although I snag a metal poker from the fireplace. Still, that's nothing in a real fight. I need somewhere to go, something to look for.

That's it. I'm going up that mountain.

Merida, District 7

I can't believe it. I was strolling through the woods until I came across _another_ castle. This one is white like the first one, but it has round, golden tops instead of blue, pointed ones.

What am I supposed to do? The Gamemakers probably won't be happy if I turn around and avoid it _again._

Well, it's getting on in the day anyway. I'll tell you what, Gamemakers. I'll climb a tree and wait, and if you send another tribute my way, I'll go after them and do something that's "entertaining" to you. And if not, maybe I'll go inside this palace tomorrow.

Of course, I don't actually say any of this out loud, so it's kind of unclear how I expect them to understand this. But I climb the nearest tree and keep myself looking engaged, keeping my bow ready and scanning the ground below me. I'll be taking some action in these Games soon enough.

Tiana, District 3

I'm curled up on the ground at the foot of a tree getting some rest when I'm woken by approaching footsteps. I try to spring into action somehow, but I have no weapons to draw and nowhere to hide.

It's the District 8 tributes, Phillip and Aurora. They eye me suspiciously. Knowing it's my only hope, I raise both of my hands to show that I have nothing on me and mean no harm. _Please leave me alone, please leave me alone…_

The girl approaches me. With a concerned expression on her face, she looks me up and down. "Have you had anything to eat?" she asks incredulously. I slowly shake my head. She whirls back around. "Phillip, get some food out," she tells him. He immediately opens his bag and rummages through until he finds some canned vegetables. He hands them over, and she shoves them into my hands. "Let's sit," she says, dropping to the ground and dragging Phillip down with her. But instead of sitting with him, she sits up against me. "You poor thing," she says. "I wish we could give you more, but Phillip had to give up another bag so he could save me from the Bloodbath." She gazes at him lovingly.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" I ask uncertainly.

"Of course!" Phillip says firmly. At their encouragement, I take a bite slowly at first, but then find myself gobbling it down as my hunger is unleashed. They both smile as I down the whole thing.

"I…" I'm not sure what to say as I meekly hand Phillip the empty can.

"Don't apologize," he assures me. Aurora smiles in agreement. I smile back. "Thank you," I say.

"Oh, you must stay with us!" Aurora says enthusiastically. "I can't _imagine_ going through this whole thing on my own." She's right, of course. Being on my own has been horrible. But I had kind of accepted it. But now…

"Of course I'll stay with you! If you don't mind," I say.

Aurora lets out a cry of joy and embraces me. Phillip smiles across at us. I've never met anyone as generous and open and welcoming as these two. Of course these Games will still be terrifying and horrible, but at least now, I don't have to do it alone.

Aladdin, District 9

"How is it getting dark already?" Jasmine asks.

"I guess it makes sense. I mean, we _have_ been climbing for quite a while."

"And we're only halfway up!" she wails.

"It's okay!" I say. "Better than not even being on the mountain yet. Look!" I point outwards. We can see all the treetops from up here. We're just not high enough to look down and see in _between_ the trees, to know what else is out there.

"Could we stop for today?" Jasmine asks.

I jokingly roll my eyes. "I _guess_ so…" I say in mock exasperation.

"Hey. I need my energy. I'm fighting for my life here."

"I know, I know," I say, not thrilled with the serious tone of her words and the reminder that they bring. We drop our supplies on the ground and lie down. It's no fun being out in the open like this, but there are no trees or plants of any kind on this mountain, so what choice do we have?

I fluff up my bag so that I can use it as a crude pillow. I lay on my back with my hands behind my head and gaze out across the arena. It's a great view, you have to admit. I smile. "We're gonna have a great sunset."

Belle, District 6

The day is almost over, but so is my climb. I look up and finally take in what lies at the top of the mountain.

It's a gigantic castle of ice. It makes sense—a little ways back, a thin layer of snow began to cover the ground, and it got deeper as I neared the top. This castle fits right in with its freezing surroundings. And in a sinister way, it's extremely beautiful.

Okay. I didn't come all this way for nothing. I continue to approach the castle until I reach a smooth ice staircase. It's so exquisitely made. The ice is so smooth, and in the fading sunset, it reflects the pinks and oranges of the sky. I begin to climb and am surprised to find that it's not particularly slippery. I reach the top. The two doors are already open. I cautiously step inside.

Inside is one huge room, with surrounding walls and extremely high ceilings. My eyes are instantly drawn to an eerie green light coming from upstairs. I know I probably shouldn't go up there, but something about the light draws me. As I climb the stairs, I become less and less unsure about this. I reach the top of the stairs and enter a small room. The source of the green light is a spinning wheel, also made of ice. The light is brightest around the point of the needle. As I stare at the light, I'm drawn closer and closer. I slowly lift my hand to it. Without knowing why, I touch my fingertip to the needle. I'm dimly aware of a sharp pricking feeling in my finger before I fall to the floor and lose consciousness completely.

_**Once again, something had gone wrong with the original upload of this chapter. I hadn't noticed, so thanks for letting me know! :)**_


	10. Day 3: Hellfire

_**Hello! I'm just gonna say this one more time, there were glitches with the last two chapters, so you may not have read them. But they're now fixed, so thanks for letting me know! If you HAVE read them, then here is the next chapter! (Also, chapter 8 was not super important, just alliances forming and stuff, so don't worry about it if you feel like skipping it)**_

Shang, District 2

Ariel begins to let out another yawn but cuts it short when she sees me sharply turn to glare at her. Yes, we have been going since very early this morning, but we're Careers. That's the way it works. Besides, how else were we supposed to make any progress up this mountain? She understands that perfectly. The least she could do it is to suppress her laziness.

At the same time, though, I wish she wouldn't be so afraid of me. Yes, I find her dramatic yawns pretty annoying, but it's not like I'm going to slit her throat at the slightest annoyance from her. Even Flynn and the other guys have been treating me warily from the beginning. I know I'm big and strong and the leader and everything, but since when am I some evil dictator? I'm just trying to do what's best for the group, and with some of these guys, the only way to get through to them is to be extra serious to make up for their childish attitudes.

Speaking of childish, my thoughts are interrupted by Flynn's loud whistling. I stare at him as he strolls along, hands in his pockets, eyes on the clouds. He really could just be taking a leisurely walk down the street. Does no one else understand what's at stake here? I thought it would be a good idea to travel in small groups – hence there only being three of us – but I didn't mean a group with just _these two_. It's all I can do not to sigh in exasperation as Ariel recognizes Flynn's tune and begins to cheerfully hum along. He smirks back at her and whistles all the more enthusiastically. It's like they're on their way to a picnic. I hate to further enforce their impression of mean old me, but this is getting out of hand. I need to shut them up.

"Enough!" I say. They both jump slightly and glance back at me sheepishly. "Look, it's bad enough that we're out in the open on this mountain. The least we could do is not announce our location miles around by blaring music."

"Just trying to have a little fun," Flynn grumbles.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you signed up for a fight to the death, and it's not _fun_ enough for you? My apologies," I say scornfully.

After that, they shuffle along quietly, heads down. Much better. They may not become my friends, but I'll take smart allies over a new best friend any day.

"Wait." I say after about an hour of silent walking. "Look." I point up the barren expanse of mountain ahead of us. Flynn and Ariel squint in the direction I'm pointing, and then their eyes widen as they see it. Two tiny figures way high above us. Without speaking, we all immediately pick up the pace, ready to catch up to whoever it is.

Anna, District 5

Our feet crunch loudly under the increasingly deep snow on the ground. Kristoff is right at home, since he works with ice all the time, but I'm getting a little chilly. I get slower and slower as my feet sink down into the snow with each step.

"Anna, look," Kristoff says, his voice hushed with surprise.

I'd been keeping my eyes on my feet and focusing on moving forward, so when I finally lift my head, I'm shocked to see the beautiful ice palace ahead of us. We both stare wide-eyed for a minute until Kristoff snaps out of it and trudges forward again, more quickly and eagerly than before.

I do an awkward resemblance of a run to keep up with him through the snow, until we finally reach the front steps. We briefly stop again, Kristoff particularly spellbound by the beautifully crafted ice, and then we finally climb the steps and push through the front doors.

Our footsteps echo up into the incredibly high ceiling of this huge room. I'm still taking it in when Kristoff grabs my arm and points to the stairs at the back of the room.

"What's that light?" he asks as we head towards the stairs.

"Huh?" I haven't seen any light — I was still looking over my shoulder at the beautiful room. Now I turn and gasp at Kristoff's glazed eyes. His mouth hangs open as he gazes up the stairs at an eerie green light that comes from the top.

I quickly look away from the light. "Kristoff! Snap out of it! Kristoff!" I slap him in the face a few times until he blinks back to life. "Huh?" he says, still sort of dazed. I grab his face between my hands and sharply turn his head away from the light. "That light hypnotizes you or something," I tell him sternly.

His eyes widen in understanding. "You're right," he says. "We just have to make sure not to look... Not to look at it... Not to look at the..." He trails off, the glazed look returning as he stares at something over my shoulder.

I slap my hands over my eyes and turn around, quickly peering between my fingers for a split second to see that the light shines on the clear, smooth ice and reflects right at us. Shutting my eyes, I grip around for Kristoff so I can pull him out of here, but my hand finds nothing.

I peek my eyes open again and gasp in horror as I see Kristoff halfway up the stairs, making his way towards the source of the light at the top. Keeping my eyes shielded as much as possible, I climb up after him, furiously shaking my head back and forth and slapping myself to stay awake. I finally grab him as he reaches the top step and yank him away, turning him around to stare into my eyes again. I grab his shoulders and shake him hard until he comes back to reality.

"Oh, no. I did it again?"

"Yeah," I say. "Let's get out of here."

He shuffles past me and down the stairs, this time keeping his hands over his eyes. I'm about to turn and follow him when I see the limp hand dangling over the edge of the top step. "Wait!" I say. "There's someone..." I feel some dazed sleepiness tugging at me, but I fight it off, closing my eyes and running back up the stairs. I grab the hand and drag at it for a few moments before Kristoff appears at my side to help me. Working together, we drag the girl down the stairs and out of the palace.

Finally, we lay her down at the bottom of the front steps. Now that I can actually focus on her features, I realize it's Belle, the girl from 6. "Poor thing," I say. "I wonder what happened to her."

"I think it's pretty clear what _didn't_ happen to her," Kristoff says. "She didn't have an ally to snap her out of it, so she climbed up to whatever was up there."

"Right..." I say, half-listening. I press my hand to her face. "She's ice-cold."

"But she's gotta be alive, right? There haven't been any cannons since the Bloodbath."

"Yeah. Come on, Belle... Wake up..." Not knowing what else to do, I gently shake her. To my surprise, her eyes twitch before slowly fluttering open.

"What..." she looks around, confused, before a look of shock and fear washes over her face. Poor thing. I bet for a second there she forgot all about the fact that she's in the Hunger Games. "Did you... Save me?" she asks, looking at me in surprise.

I nod. She lies still for another moment before digging her arms into the ground and slowly sitting up. "Come on, let's get out of here," Kristoff says. I nod and we help Belle get to her feet and begin to shuffle slowly down the mountain.

Adam, District 6

I had finally arrived at the top of the mountain and reached the insane ice palace. I must have been at the back because there was no sign of a way in, so I began to circle it, looking for an entrance. I rounded the corner, and the front staircase came into view. That's when I saw the three figures huddled at the bottom of the steps.

Now, I wait, hidden around the bend, watching as two of them slowly help the third to her feet. That's when I realize it's Belle, my district partner. Should I approach them? Probably not. I'm not really looking for an alliance, and I'm not really looking for a fight either. Some Gamemaker in a control room is probably growling in frustration at me as I sit here and let them walk away, but hey, I'm about to go into their fancy castle anyway.

Once they're out of sight, I hurry to the steps and climb up, pushing through the front doors. I'm immediately awestruck by how beautiful this place is. It seems to be oddly glowing somehow. Wait. Is that a green light...?

My thoughts fade away. My feet obediently shuffle forward. Climbing these stairs seems like a good idea. Something important... It's waiting at the top.

I smile as the light gets brighter and brighter. A spinning wheel comes into view. My hand seems to move to the needle on its own.

My trance immediately shatters apart, replaced with searing pain. Not from the prick on my finger — my entire body feels like it's on fire. I begin to convulse as I fall to the floor and let out an inhuman roar.

Merida, District 7

The sun is high in the sky, and still no sign of life anywhere. My patience is running thin. That's it. I'm going into that castle.

I drop to the ground and approach the huge building. The golden rooftops are glinting in the bright sunlight, and I would probably find the whole thing extremely beautiful if I weren't worried that it was about to kill me.

I slip through the door and find myself in a dusty, old-fashioned front hall. I glance at my reflection in a clouded, cracked mirror. I know it's early on, but it seems like the Games haven't gotten to me yet. I look roughly the same as I did before I came here. I look a little dirty and tired, yes, but I still look like a human being.

I turn and head down a long hallway to the left until I reach a beautiful room with high stained glass windows. In the dim light, only one stream of sunlight enters the room. It streams down and highlights a single rose in the center of the room. I approach it and notice that six petals seem to have already fallen off and rest on the table. Some petals are still bright and healthy and are held fast, while about five others have darkened and started to wilt away from the center, at risk of falling off.

I frown. Wait a minute...

I carefully count the petals still attached to the rose, and, to my horror, I realize I'm right: there are eighteen petals still on the rose. Six fallen, eighteen still there.

Every time one of us dies, a petal falls.

Sufficiently creeped out, I hurry back down the hall and through another door. Now, I've wound up in a huge dining room, complete with a huge wooden table, tea sets, candles, silverware, and a quaint little fireplace with a clock above it. The tricky thing is that there's also a huge amount of food laid out on the table. Like, enough for a royal banquet. And it smells amazing.

Well, this might be extremely tempting for a tribute who's been starving, but I'm fine hunting on my own. Even though this is a lot better than roasted squirrel, I know it's asking for it if I take any. I hurry past, heading for a door at the back of the room. But before I can get there, the clock leaps off the mantelpiece and lands in the doorway, freezing me in my tracks.

Well, that way certainly doesn't look too good anymore. I whirl around to find the other direction now blocked off by a wall of candles. Great.

Slowly, everything in the room begins to come to life. The forks stand on their ends and hop. The teapots and cup begin to move. Even the plates rise up on their sides and start rolling around. I try to avoid them, but they're starting to surround me. I back away from them and end up climbing up onto the table, all of the objects surrounding me below. One of the candles hops up onto a chair, and as I try to kick it away, it still manages to light the leg of my pants on fire.

I shriek and drop onto the table, rolling on my leg to try to put it out. The fire on my pants goes out, but a placemat catches on fire, and the flames slowly begin to spread. Before long, the flames are licking at the wooden table itself.

Seeing my last hope above me, I leap up and grab the chandelier. I tuck up my knees as best I can, but I won't be able to hang on like this for more than a few more seconds. I take in the horrific scene right below me, the flames rising up and the objects closing in, and I'm ready to panic.

Suddenly, I hear a whooshing noise and turn to see—is that what I think it is? Yes, it must be! It's a flying carpet!

It swoops and hovers right beneath me. I have no choice but to trust. I let go and drop onto it. Luckily, it supports my weight and doesn't send me plummeting into the flames below. I barely have time to grab on as it shoots upwards and out of the window.

Now we're soaring over the arena. This is completely surreal, but also incredibly beautiful. I have no control over where this thing is taking me, but I try to use this journey to my advantage. The arena really does consist of mostly woods. But there's the other castle… And there's a big lake… And it looks like it's connected to a big river. We fly along the river until the carpet suddenly veers to the left, taking me to the other side of the river where I've never been. It then dives downward before slowing to a halt a few feet up and gracefully drifting to the ground.

I slowly get to my feet, staring at the now inanimate carpet in awe. I guess I should hold on to it—even if it won't fly anymore, I could still use it as a blanket or something. I bend down to scoop it up, but before I can, it shoot upwards and flies off over the trees, out of sight, leaving me all alone in a brand new part of the arena.

Aurora, District 8

"Aurora! Don't get too far ahead!" Phillip's voice calls softly for what must be the fifth time today. I quickly stop and turn back, smiling gratefully at him. Even though we're in grave danger, sometimes I just lose myself in the peace and beauty of the woods and wander ahead, gazing at the flowers and trees around me.

Tiana rolls her eyes at him. "Will you stop that? She can take care of herself. She's not some damsel in distress."

"She needs my protection," he insists. "We have to stay together."

"So you really won't let her do a single thing on her own?"

"It's alright, Tiana," I interrupt, sending Phillip another smile. "I appreciate his concern."

He smiles back and wraps a protective arm around me. "That's what I'm here for."

I grin up at him for a moment before something up ahead catches my eye. I start to run ahead, this time keeping one hand in Phillip's and dragging him along behind me.

"Oh!" I say as it comes into view. "What a lovely little cottage!" I turn to smile in excitement at my two allies.

Tiana isn't nearly as happy. "You really think that thing is good news?" she says, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Of course! Why wouldn't it be?"

"Um, it's the Hunger Games? That place is probably filled with who knows what kind of traps."

"Aurora's right," Phillip cuts in. "We can't just walk past a place like this! Besides, it'll be getting dark before we know it. It's high time we find somewhere to spend the night."

"You want us to _sleep_ in there?" Tiana asks incredulously.

"Why not?" I say. "I'm sure it's lovely. And it will be a nice break from these woods anyway. I don't want to sleep outside anymore." With that, Phillip and I march in, Tiana reluctantly following behind.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" I cry once we walk in.

"But why are the beds so little?" Phillip asks. He's right. The cottage has a row of seven tiny beds.

"Oh, I don't know, but we can each take two," I say.

"Or three each, and one of us on watch," Tiana says firmly.

I sigh. "Oh, alright." It's only fair. We _are_ forcing her to stay here.

"Alright, we can sort that out later, but for now, we know we've got somewhere safe until at least tomorrow morning," Phillip says cheerfully.

Aladdin, District 9

"I can't believe we climbed all this way just to go back down," Jasmine says.

"You've already said that a million times today. Like I said before, we saw what we needed to see, we kind of get the layout of the arena now, and now we're getting out of here," I say, trying to stay patient. "Unless, of course, you _want_ to hang out in the open for a few more days."

"Uh…" Jasmine trails off, seeming distracted.

"Right. Didn't think you'd want us walking around in plain sight waiting for other tributes to march right up to us."

"Uh… You mean like _them?"_ Jasmine says, pointing over my shoulder.

I whirl around to see three figures not too far away. And there's no doubt about it, they're staring right at us. "Follow me," I say, trying to keep my voice calm.

I grab Jasmine by the arm and we take off, running as fast as we can. I glance over my shoulder and see that our pursuers are running now too.

But at least I know where we're going. It's our only hope.

I glance back again. There's no doubt about it—that's Shang and two other Careers. And they're getting closer.

I skid to a stop as we reach our destination—a ledge with a sheer drop-off. Definitely the fastest way off the mountain.

Jasmine stares at the ledge and looks at me in horror. I grab her hand and look her in the eyes.

"Do you trust me?"

Her wide eyes are filled with fear. "I… Yes."

"Then _jump!"_ We leap off the ledge, leaving the Careers far behind.

In accordance with my plan, we land in the huge lake that we had seen from the mountain. I hit the surface hard and sink down deep into the dark water. Then I thrash and kick and propel myself up to the surface, gasping for air. I look around in a panic. "Jasmine?" For a few terrifying seconds there's nothing, but then her head breaks the surface with a splash. We stare at each other in shock, adrenaline still pumping, but then we share an awkward hug of relief.

The hug is short-lived though, as Jasmine pulls away, frowning. "Did you feel that?" she asks, concerned.

"Feel what?" I ask. But then I feel it. Something against my foot. My eyes widen again. "Swim!"

We both take off for shore, the attacks on my foot increasing. There's no mistaking it as something begins to wrap itself around my ankle—that's a tentacle. I kick harder, managing to shake it off for the time being. Jasmine's shrieking and flailing around too, but we're both making progress. Soon we near the shore, crawling through the shallow water and up onto the sand. I flip over and sit back in exhausted relief. Jasmine tries to do the same, but she's suddenly dragged on her back away from me, towards the water again.

Shrieking, she manages to roll onto her stomach again, flailing around to keep above the surface. "It's got my ankle!" she screams. I splash through the shallows and grab her hand, pulling her back towards land. She screams again. "It's got both now!"

"Kick! Kick!" I tell her. And she is. She flails around, and I can tell she's trying as hard as she can. But we're slowly losing progress. I stumble out deeper and deeper as she's pulled backwards. Finally, we're out over my head. I still hold onto her hands, trying to pull back, but without my feet planted on the ground, the octopus or whatever it is is basically just pulling both of us along.

"Aladdin…" she says between gasps. "Go… Go back…" Her head is pulled under for a moment. She struggles and barely gets her head out of the water. "Go back! You can't… G—" she's pulled under again, this time so sharply that her hands threaten to slip out of mine. I refuse to let go, but her hands suddenly give mine a squeeze before letting go on their own.

I flail my hands around below the surface for a moment, but after finding nothing, I'm swimming for my life. I need to do what she said. I can't just throw my life away if there's nothing I can do. It's what she wanted.

At least, that's what makes sense to me as I frantically swim back to shore. But when I turn back and see the eerily calm surface, I can't help imagining what's happening below. I only know it's really over when a cannon finally fires.

Pocahontas, District 11

I perch in yet another tree as the sun sets, waiting for the Panem anthem. After a few moments, it comes, the seal lighting up the sky. After a few more seconds, it vanishes, replaced by the girl from District 9. Her innocent, wide-eyed face stares out at us all for a few moments before it disappears too, returning us to darkness.

I wonder what happened to her. She was planning to be her district partner's ally. I haven't seen either of them since the Bloodbath, so I have no way of knowing if that alliance actually happened. If it did, did he kill her?

I guess that doesn't really matter. My goal of getting home is unchanged, and I'm sure it's the same for every single other tribute here. Of course I feel sorry for her and her district, but the fact is, we're all one step closer to getting out of here.

_**As requested, here is a recap of all the tributes! (aka where they are, whether they're alive, etc) ***DO NOT READ THIS UNLESS YOU'VE FINISHED CHAPTER 10 BECAUSE IT CONTAINS SPOILERS OBVIOUSLY*****_

_**District 1) Rapunzel: with Careers. Went in the Cinderella castle with Eric and had to cut her hair to escape. Otherwise unharmed. Flynn: also with Careers. Chased Pocahontas and had to let her get away, chased Jasmine and Aladdin off the mountain.**_

_**2) Mulan: With Careers. Killed Snow White in Bloodbath. Chased Adam and caused him to go up the mountain. Shang: Unofficial leader of the Careers. Killed Cinderella and Henry in the Bloodbath. Chased Jasmine and Aladdin off the mountain.**_

_**3) Tiana: Alliance with Aurora and Phillip. Currently in the cottage. Naveen: killed in Bloodbath by Merida.**_

_**4) Ariel: with Careers. Chased Aladdin and Jasmine off the mountain. Eric: Career. Killed Florian in the Bloodbath. Went in the Cinderella castle with Rapunzel.**_

_**5) Anna and Kristoff: In an alliance together. Climbed mountain together and found Belle at the top.**_

_**6) Belle: Climbed the mountain, was put to sleep by the spinning wheel, was saved by Anna and Kristoff. Adam: Also climbed the mountain, also pricked his finger. Unclear what happened to him after that.**_

_**7) Merida: On her own. Killed Naveen in the Bloodbath. Had a little adventure in the not-Cinderella castle. Is now on the other side of the river where only Pocahontas is. Hercules: with the Careers. Killed John Smith in Bloodbath. Chased Adam up the mountain with Mulan. **_

_**8) Aurora and Phillip: In an alliance with Tiana. Currently in the cottage. **_

_**9) Jasmine: was Aladdin's ally, was drowned by the mysterious lake monster. Aladdin: escaped the monster and is now alone. **_

_**10) Cinderella and Henry: killed in Bloodbath by Shang. **_

_**11) Pocahontas: alone. Crossed the river, escaped after being chased by Flynn. John Smith: killed in the Bloodbath by Hercules. **_

_**12) Snow White: killed by Mulan in the Bloodbath. Florian (who might actually be named Ferdinand): killed in the Bloodbath by Eric. **_


	11. Day 4: Just Around the Riverbend

**_Hello! This one is a little violent, but I tried not to make it too detailed—there are some violent actions, but no gory descriptions or anything._**

Aurora, District 8

The sun has barely started to rise, but I can't stay sitting in bed any longer. I slide onto the cool wooden floor, slip my shoes on, and cast a glance at my two sleeping allies. A part of me knows I shouldn't be doing this—it's my turn to be on watch while they get some sleep—but they're safe indoors. This cottage is probably a reward for someone who has explored enough of the woods to find it. Besides, I'll be back before they wake up.

I slip out the door and close it softly behind me. I take a few steps into the woods, smelling the morning air and feeling the early sun on my face. As I stop and lean against a tree, I'm reminded of the morning of the reapings. It was almost exactly the same situation: I couldn't sleep, so I went out into the woods for comfort. And although I'm in an arena where I could be killed at any moment, I can't help but feel better out here alone. Few people are likely to be awake at this early hour, and I can collect some breakfast in peace.

I spend a few hours gathering some more food for us before I decide that it's time to head back to the cottage—my allies will be waking up soon.

Phillip, District 8

I slowly wake up to the sound of a floorboard creaking. I open my eyes, and it takes me a few seconds to realize that Aurora's bed is empty. I shoot straight up to a sitting position. _"Tiana,"_ I hiss sharply.

She quickly sits up as well, her wide eyes taking in Aurora's empty bed. She was supposed to be on watch. Did she see something outside? Did something happen to her?

All thoughts of her vanish as I realize why I heard a floorboard creak. A square of wood near the door has slowly started to rise up, as if something from below is pushing up a trapdoor.

I know Tiana is seeing it too when I hear her small intake of breath. We both continue to sit frozen as the square continues to rise until it falls all the way open. Nothing is there. Just a square hole leading to some dark area below the floor.

But after a few seconds, a small head appears. I grip my knife at my belt beneath the blankets as the head is followed by a set of shoulders and a small torso. A few moments later, another head and shoulders appear next to the first.

Two dwarves now sit staring at us two humans as we stare silently back. Finally, the first one climbs out of the hole completely and starts to move towards me, then stops again. I stare into its beady little eyes. There's no doubt about it: this creature has no good intentions.

It starts to move towards me again, so I yank out my knife as raise it over my head. The instant I do, all hell breaks loose.

The dwarf near me lets out a loud snarling, hissing noise, baring a row of huge pointy teeth as it lunges for me. I luckily manage to meet it with my knife as it soars through the air towards me, stabbing it in the chest and letting it drop to the floor. By this point, Tiana has scrambled out of bed and drawn her own knife, the second dwarf has climbed out of the hole, and more are following it.

"Look out!" I yell to Tiana as one lunges for her. She slashes at it, making it stagger back as a wound appears on its stomach. Another one is close behind. I move to get this one, but I'm distracted by two others heading for me. I'm forced to leave Tiana to fend for herself as I battle these two. As they both lunge for me, I managed to slice one's head off, but the other latches onto my left arm and won't let go. I bang it with the hilt of my knife over and over until it loosens its grip before I kill it.

I whirl around to see that Tiana has killed one dwarf, leaving three more. All three of them are closing in on her. I turn to a shelf of seven mugs behind me and hurl them at the dwarves, one by one. Only a few of them meet their targets, and none of them do anything to slow them down.

I lunge over the bed and try to get to her, but there's nothing I can do as all three of them lunge onto her at once, knocking her over and blocking her from view as they continue to claw and bite. She struggles and screams. I finally make it over the second bed and stab one of the dwarves in the back. It lies still, but so does Tiana. A cannon fires a few seconds later.

I just want to grieve, but before I can, the remaining two dwarves are on me. I kick one away, and it slumps on the ground. The other one has latched onto my already injured arm, and I yell out in pain as I stab at it until it falls to the floor, dead.

I fall to my knees. I'm trying to nurse my wounded arm when the dwarf I kicked recovers, lunges forward, and bites deep into my neck.

The dwarf backs away. I'm now fading fast. I desperately use the last of my strength to plunge my knife into its heart before I fall completely to the floor.

For a minute, all I can hear are my shallow breaths, and then, from the doorway, a wordless sound of shock, fear, and horror. I force my eyes open and see the beautiful Aurora as she takes in the bloody scene before her. Her eyes meet mine, and she seems to be moving towards me as my vision finally fades away.

Mulan, District 2

I pause again, my sword held ready at the smallest sound. Once again, it's nothing, and I move on.

This is nice. It's my first time being alone since the Games started. Today, instead of going out and searching in small groups, I convinced Shang to let me go out on my own. I can take care of myself, and I need some room to breathe. My allies are alright, but they're all a little bit crazy.

I run over the list of who could be out here. Seven tributes have died, and seven more are in our alliance, which leaves ten others. Oh, wait. Only eight others. I forgot about the two cannons this morning.

I wonder who those cannons were for. It could have been anyone, really. I know it wasn't any of my allies because we were all still together when they went off, but other than that, it could really be anyone. That girl from 3 and the pairs from 5, 6, and 8 are all fairly mediocre. And who knows how Hercules' partner and the other ones are doing.

Oh well. I guess I'll find out who's still alive tonight. Or if I run into someone else before then.

Speaking of. I freeze once again, but this time I know I'm not just being paranoid. Someone's there.

Someone _huge._ They lurk behind a tree, but the figure's huge shoulder sticks out in plain sight.

Maybe this isn't a tribute at all.

I'm more certain of this new theory when it steps out into plain view. It's not a tribute—it's an inhuman creature. It's a monster, about seven feet tall, with shaggy brown fur, two horns on its head, and two sharp teeth that protrude from its mouth.

A beast.

I hold my sword ready as it stalks towards me, and we size each other up. It lunges at me, but I'm ready. I swipe at it with my sword and leave a huge gash on one of its "arms." It roars in pain and immediately leaps back, hunched over and trying to nurse its arm. I don't waste any more time. I shouldn't be doing this alone. I whirl around and take off for our meeting spot.

Hercules, District 7

When I arrive back at our meeting point, Mulan and Rapunzel are there, talking quickly in hushed, urgent voices. They both look up when they see me coming. "What's going on?" I ask, worried.

Mulan shakes her head. "I don't want to explain it a bunch of separate times. The others should be back soon, then I'll explain."

One by one, the rest of the Careers arrive. No one seems to have seen anyone, but Mulan clearly has something important to tell us.

"There's a beast nearby," she says.

"What?"

"What exactly do you mean by 'Beast?'" Shang says.

"Just… I don't know, a beast. It's pretty tall, and it's got brown fur and teeth and claws and horns, and it can walk on two legs."

"So it's kind of shaped like a human?" I ask.

"I guess so," she says.

"So what happened?" Ariel asks.

"It tried to attack me, but I hit it with my sword and ran away."

"So it'll recover quickly," Shang says. Mulan nods.

"Wait, I'm confused, so what _exactly_ did it look like?" Rapunzel wants to know.

"Um… Picture a huge person covered in fur, and a little hunched over, and horns here and claws here and teeth coming out here," Mulan says, pointing.

"So… But like, it looked like an animal, not a person? Like there was fur everywhere, like even on its chest and everything?"

"I guess so… Well actually, it was wearing some ripped clothes."

_"What?_ What kind of clothes?"

"Well… I think a dark green shirt and black pants."

"You mean like our uniforms?" Rapunzel asks in shock.

"I guess so."

"Enough of this questioning," Shang says. "We have enough to be worrying about with other tributes, we don't need some monster in the way too. It sounds like if we all gang up on it, it should be easy to get rid of, and then we can go back to focusing on everyone else." Everyone nods in agreement and immediately starts making plans to hunt and kill the beast. I seem to be the only one who notices Rapunzel's concerned expression. She sees me watching her and pulls me aside.

"What's wrong?" I ask her quietly.

"Don't you think the beast could be one of the tributes?" she says.

"You think so?"

"It seems like it to me," she says, nodding.

"But what can we do?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't seem right to just gang up on them and kill them like they're some animal, right? I mean, if it _is_ a tribute, then they've obviously gone through something terrible… I don't know. I just don't like this."

"Me neither, but I don't really see any way around it. I mean, tribute or not, they're still dangerous."

"I guess so," she says, but she's clearly not convinced.

Aladdin, District 9

Here goes nothing.

I dive into the river and begin to swim across. It immediately starts carrying me downstream, but I keep going. My head is shoved under a few times, but eventually, I make it to the opposite bank and scramble out of the water. Good thing I didn't drown.

_Like Jas—_

No. No no no. I can't keep letting myself dwell over that. Obviously I'm heartbroken, but it had to happen to at least one of us eventually. And I did all that I could. I didn't betray her or leave her alone or—

Pocahontas is staring me right in the face.

I pull out my knife but warily keep it lowered, watching her cautiously. She has a spear held in her hands. We begin to circle each other. I'm not sure what her intentions are, and she's obviously not sure of mine. Honestly, I'm not even sure what my _own_ intentions are.

She suddenly looks away from me, whipping her head to the side to look for something she must have heard. I look in that direction too, wondering if this is some kind of trick until a huge bear emerges from the shadows.

We glance at each other as we both back away from the bear and, subconsciously, towards each other. As the bear lets out a huge roar and rears up on its hind legs, it's clear that Pocahontas and I are no longer worried about fighting each other as we both try to defend ourselves from this bear.

The bear drops back to four feet and leaps forward. Pocahontas swings her spear, and it ducks out of the way. I bash it with the hilt of my knife, and it stumbles back. It leaps towards Pocahontas and pins her against a tree. I lunge after it and cut into its paw. It drops its feet back onto the ground, freeing Pocahontas. In a rage, it stumbles towards me. I try to hold my knife up in defense, but I'm no match for it as it shoves me to the ground with all its strength and pins me down.

I can't move. Hot bear breath is being blown in my face, so I can't even breathe. I'm stuck there until Pocahontas leaps forward with her spear and stabs it into the bear's shoulder. The bear yelps and leaps back, stares at both of us, and then stumbles away.

We stare at each other in silence for a moment. Then, she just nods at me and takes off, disappearing into the woods.

Belle, District 6

The last bag hits the ground with a thump as Kristoff, finally satisfied with the small fire he's built, drops his things and sits with us. We all stare at the fire in silence for a moment as the arena grows darker. "This is nice," Anna says. We nod in agreement.

"I know I said this a lot today, but thank you again for saving me," I say earnestly.

"Don't worry about it," Kristoff says.

"No, I mean it. You could have just left me there. You could have made sure I was done for and not even worried about it. _And_ you didn't have to let me stay with you afterwards either."

"Belle, we didn't just _let_ you stay with us. We invited you to. You didn't even have to ask us!" Anna says, smiling.

"I know. You've been so nice to me, and you didn't even need to. I mean, we didn't even talk at all during training or anything."

"Isn't that weird?" Anna says. "We didn't even notice each other before, but here we are."

"Even Anna and I weren't planning on being allies before we got here," Kristoff says.

"Yeah, I never thought I would need an alliance before. I thought it was a terrible idea. But I guess you don't realize how much it matters to you until you get in here," I say. "I don't know how I would handle it if I were still by myself."

"Me neither," Anna says. "I'm glad you guys are around."

Merida, District 7

I'm settled on a high branch for the night, waiting for the anthem to play. Then I'll see who the cannons were for this morning.

I wonder if it will be for Hercules. We never talked much, but it's weird knowing that he's either out there in this arena right now, trying just as hard to survive as I am, or he's dead. I can't help pulling for him, even though he doesn't deserve to win any more or less than anyone else, including me.

Soft footsteps draw my attention to the ground below. It's Pocahontas. I'm about to pull out a weapon and fire down at her, but I know it's a dumb move. There's no real chance I could get her from this high. I would just reveal that I'm here, and then she would have me stuck at the top of a tree.

Pocahontas walks on, out of sight. At least now I know that she's around, but I don't know who else is on this side of the river.

The sky lights up and the anthem blares across the arena. The seal disappears, and then Tiana's face is lit across the sky, followed by Phillip's. Then everything goes dark again.

I didn't really know anything about either of them, but of course I'm still sad for them. And it's unsettling to think that last night, they were the ones watching the sky, and tomorrow night, any of us could be the new faces up there.


	12. Day 5: Out There

_**Here's kind of a weird chapter, but it's a good transition and I just felt like writing it. The next chapter will be back to normal :p**_

Rapunzel, District 1

I peek my eyes open and carefully look around. After the first few nights, we gave up on having someone keep watch at night—we figured that since there are seven of us, at least one of us is bound to wake up at any disturbance.

I never thought that would end up helping me, but now it has. I carefully stand up, pick up my bag, and tiptoe into the woods, leaving my six allies sleeping behind me. In a few hours, they'll wake up, and I don't know what they'll do about the fact that I'm missing, but I do know that some of them will then go looking for the beast. And I plan to do something about it.

Pocahontas, District 11

I wake up at the foot of a tree. I sigh. What should I even do? Continue walking around, I guess. Maybe no one else has managed to cross the river after all.

No. That's not true. I saw Flynn a few days ago, and Aladdin yesterday. There are people around.

But I haven't killed any of them. And if I don't do it soon, the Gamemakers will get tired of me. If I were in an alliance, I could at least make good television through our conversations or something, but since I'm by myself, all I do is walk around. Even _I'm_ tired of it, let alone the viewing audience. Something needs to change.

Aladdin, District 9

I pull an apple off a tree and munch on it as I continue walking. I don't think I'll ever adjust to being alone. It's horribly nerve wracking, and just lonely. I just want to go home.

Aurora, District 8

I cling to another tree. What if I just stay here? What if I never move? Would I be safe? No. No I wouldn't.

I don't have anyone to protect me, to watch my back, or to keep me company. I feel so helpless.

Kristoff, District 5

"Are you sure we haven't been here before?"

I sigh. "Yes, Anna, I'm sure. Unless you're on top of the mountain, the entire arena looks the same. Remember?"

"I guess so…"

"I know how to find my way around, okay? Trust me."

"But find your way to where, exactly?" Belle asks.

"See, that's a better question," I say. "We don't really know what's out there, so I guess we have to keep walking. We'll know it when we get to it, I guess."

Merida, District 7

My arm is getting tired from keeping my arrow stretched out like this. I've been walking around with my bow raised, an arrow pulled back, ready to shoot something, but nothing has come along. Not even a small animal or something, let alone a mutt or a tribute or a castle or _something._ What is going on?

Rapunzel, District 1

I've been searching all day. I'm about to give up when suddenly, he's there.

I jump behind a tree and peer out at his (or her?) huge form. Suddenly, the head jerks up and two eyes are staring straight in my direction. Well, it's too late to turn back now.

I slowly step out from behind the tree and approach the beast. It doesn't move as I get closer. When I'm within an arm's reach, I freeze, and we stare at each other. There's no doubt about it: that's a tattered tribute's uniform, and those eyes are eerily human.

The beast lets out a low growl as I continue to stare, and I quickly take a step back. The growl continues to get louder, and it slinks towards me. Suddenly, before I can do anything else, it leaps forward and pins me to the ground. I shriek and scramble to get loose, only now realizing how stupid I was to keep all of my weapons in the bag.

I flail around and manage to scoot back and sit up against a tree. Then, in one swift movement, I pull my bag off my back and swing the entire thing through the air, bringing it down hard on the beast's head.

The growls stop immediately as we both stare at each other in silence. But unless I'm imagining it, the beast now wears an expression of surprise and shame, like it doesn't know why it tried to attack me. But no, maybe I'm reading too far into this.

But then it lets out a soft whimper, and I can't interpret the sound as anything other than apologetic.

Then the beast curls up in a ball on the ground at my feet, pressing its face to the ground. It seems so sad. It breaks my heart. I crouch down next to it and tentatively rub its back. I have no way of knowing which tribute this is—was—but it doesn't deserve what my allies have planned for it. I have to stop them.

Cruella De Vil, Gamemaker

I press "save" and give a low, sinister laugh to myself. I push my chair back from the computer and stretch my arms. My right hand must get a little too close to the Gamemaker next to me, Facilier, because he quickly bats it away, focusing on his screen.

I look around at my five fellow Gamemakers. They are all focused on their own specific duties. Our desks form a circle around a large hologram of the arena in the center of the room, letting us either look down at our screens, or easily look up and see the arena, or another Gamemaker, if necessary.

The busy, quiet atmosphere in the room is shattered as the door bangs open. Some of the others jump as we all turn to see Maleficent, the Head Gamemaker, stride furiously into the room.

"You _fools!_ I leave you alone for just a few hours, and _this_ is what you let happen? …Don't give me that confused look, Hades."

"But Maleficent, nothing _did_ happen." Hades says defensively.

"Exactly!" Maleficent spits, striding over to Facilier's desk. "Facilier, why don't you give us a recap of exactly what has happened today?"

Facilier nods and quickly pulls up a file. "Rapunzel left the Careers to search for Adam, who has been transformed. The remaining six Careers woke up and searched for the beast all day, but were unsuccessful. Kristoff, Anna, and Belle walked three miles. And Merida, Aurora, Aladdin, and Pocahontas each explored the arena alone."

"So to make a short story even shorter: _nothing happened."_ Maleficent strides to the next desk over. "Hades, give me an arena update."

"The three palaces are all in perfect working condition, and the cottage has been slightly restored after that alliance's visit. Everything else also seems to be in order."

She sighs. "You see, Hades, that's all very nice, but your job is much more than _that._ We cannot simply make sure that things are _able_ to function—we have to make sure that they _do_ perform their functions. How many times have these places been visited?"

"I… Uh… Only once or twice each," Hades mumbles.

"And how many tributes have been to the swamp?"

"None," he almost whispers.

"Precisely. But do we have ways of forcing tributes to visit more often?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I thought so." She continues to one of the desks across from mine. "And Miss Hearts, our lovely sponsor manager… Here's another way we should be more involved. How many sponsor gifts have we sent down?"

"One," The Gamemaker who refers to herself only as The Queen of Hearts replies. The ridiculous people you find here in the Capitol. What's wrong with using the name you were born with?

"And how many tributes have you calculated to have enough sponsor money to receive something?" Maleficent asks.

"Well, some more than others, but they all _could_ get something."

"And why haven't they?"

"I… Because they haven't needed any," she grumbles.

"And why is that?"

She brightens up. "Because _other_ Gamemakers who are supposed to be putting them in danger haven't been," she says triumphantly.

Maleficent chuckles. "Precisely." She moves on to the next desk. "Jafar! I'm sure you could elaborate on this problem."

"And how is that?" he asks.

"Well, you're our tribute monitor, why don't you show me where each tribute is?"

He points to the various glowing dots on a diagram of the arena. "The Career alliance is here, the District One girl and the beast are here, the other alliance is there, and the remaining lone tributes are here, here, here, and here."

"Yes, you see how much you're moving your arm around? If you were doing your job properly, that would not be happening. These tributes absolutely _cannot_ be this spread out. Do you understand?"

He nods.

"Good." She now moves to the desk on my left. "And Hook, you have now been assigned to controlling one lone tribute, is that right?"

"Y-yes ma'am, the District Six boy," he replies.

"That's right. Because that spinning needle injected a substance into him that transmits back to us and lets us keep a close watch on him, isn't that right?"

He nods.

"Good. _Use that._ Don't let this transformation fizzle out. I like this friendship between him and the girl, but don't let him recede back to being too human. Is that understood?"

He nods again.

She moves on to me. "Now. Cruella. The one I really wanted to see. Our muttation specialist. How are we?"

"I finished the final adjustments to our underwater mutt just before you came in," I tell her. I pull up some images. "We've still got these ones waiting for tributes to find them."

"Now, now, Cruella, I think you're giving our tributes more credit than they deserve. I really don't think they're smart enough to find these creatures. The _mutts_ have to find _them."_

"Noted," I say with an irritated sigh.

"Now show me this new and improved underwater creature."

I pull up another diagram. Maleficent begins to laugh. "Is this what it already looks like?"

"Of course."

"Wonderful." She looks around at the other Gamemakers. "If things are slow, get someone over to the lake. That will most _certainly_ spice things up." She clears her throat. "As you know, I was meeting with the president today, and that is why I had to leave you on your own. She expressed to me that these Games are at risk of falling flat because we have so many tributes who refuse to fight one another. You saw what happened with the District Nine boy and the District Eleven girl yesterday. And I'm further disappointed in what you let continue today. If the tributes won't create the danger, then we'll just have to provide it for them. From now on, the arena gets more dangerous. Do I make myself clear?"

We all nod.

"Good. Now do your jobs."


	13. Day 6: Breakaway

_**I'M BACK! It's like a Christmas miracle but in October! As usual, I apologize for the extremely long wait. I promise that I have NOT given up on this story in any way, and I have every intention of finishing it. It just might take me a while :p But without further ado, here is the long-awaited new chapter!**_

Rapunzel, District 1

"Hold still."

The beast lets out a low growl but doesn't move away as I bring the damp cloth to its stomach wound. It's healing pretty quickly, but I don't want it getting infected or something.

When I finish taking care of the injury, I sit back, and the beast does the same. We stare at each other in a kind of weird, peaceful silence. I smile. I'm proud of myself. This isn't what my allies wanted, and it's probably not what my trainers at home or any of the Gamemakers want—in fact, it doesn't make any sense in terms of helping me win either. But it's what _I_ want. And I'm happy that even in a fight to the death, I'm doing what I know is right for me.

Aurora, District 8

I gasp quietly at the distant sound of cheerful voices. I find a large tree and jump behind it, hoping I'm on the right side and that whoever it is won't be able to see me. My heartbeat continues to quicken as the voices get closer and closer.

I can now tell that it must be the pair from 5. But they have a third voice with them. As she laughs and says something about her crazy classmates and their medical training, I realize it must be the girl from District 6, Belle.

Suddenly, the boy, Kristoff, is hushing the other two and whispering something to them as their footsteps come to a halt. My heart threatens to explode out of my chest.

"Hello?"

I freeze even more tensely than before. How could they know I'm here? I hold my breath and do everything in my power to keep from moving, but there's nothing I can do as Kristoff comes around one side of my tree and the two girls come around the other side.

The four of us stare at one another in silence. After a few moments, Anna motions as if she's going to speak.

I'll never know what she wanted to say. My body unfreezes, and I take off into the woods, shoving past Belle and fleeing as quickly as I possibly can.

My legs feel like jelly, and my mind feels crazed with adrenaline. I mentally do not have the ability to slow down for a full five minutes, but finally, I just don't have the energy to keep going, and I slow down and drop to the ground, panting.

I glance back and don't see any sign of them. I never even heard them follow me.

She was going to ask me to join them. I'm sure of it. All of them clearly meant no harm, but I can't have any more allies.

Look what I let happen to my last ones.

Flynn, District 1

"Look there."

We all stop to see what Shang's pointing at: a long gash in one of the tree trunks.

"You think the beast did that?" Eric asks.

"I'm sure of it."

"That's a fresh mark, too," Mulan says. "We're getting close."

We walk on, slightly faster than before. It's one of the first times since the Bloodbath that we've all gone out together. We left our extra supplies under the willow tree and will go back there tonight, but we decided that we needed all of us to fight the beast. Only Mulan has seen it, so the rest of us don't know how dangerous it is—better safe than sorry. So now we're all together, ready to fight it.

Well, all of us except Rapunzel. She disappeared last night. There hasn't been a cannon, so we know she's out there, but we don't know where. I know I'm supposed to be focusing on my own victory, but I can't help worrying about her. In all honesty, I'd much rather find her than find the beast.

_"Wait,"_ Ariel hisses, coming to a stop. We all stop and wait, listening for whatever she must have heard.

But then she's pointing through the trees and I realize she's _s__een _something.

A large mound of brown fur curled up on the ground.

We instinctively move closer together and then creep forward, but it's only a matter of time before we get close enough that the beast has to hear us. A yellow eye peers open seconds before the beast leaps to its feet, revealing a blond-haired tribute who had been curled up behind it.

_"Rapunzel?"_ I blurt out. The others shoot me a glare, but my eyes are fixed on her wide-eyed gaze.

"Are you… What are you doing?" I ask.

"I…" Her hushed voice trails off, her wide eyes taking in Shang's readied spear, Mulan's sword, and everyone's stances as we draw our weapons.

_"No,"_ she says, her voice still hushed. Even as the beast begins to growl at us, she quickly steps around to stand in front of it.

"Rapunzel, get out of the way," Shang says coldly.

"Why are you doing this?" she asks helplessly.

"It's a danger to us all, Rapunzel! What are you doing trying to protect it? Step away." He orders again.

Rapunzel continues to stare at him in fear and confusion for a moment, but then she frowns and squares her jaw, planting her stance. "This isn't right. I won't let you hurt him."

Shaking his head, Shang gets ready to knock her out of the way, but sensing his movements, the beast suddenly scoops Rapunzel up and plants her well out of the way. Then it charges.

Knowing that Rapunzel is out of harm's way, I can now focus on the beast with everyone else. As it charges forward, I raise my sword along with the other Careers and their weapons. Eric makes the first move, leaping out and swiping at it with a sword, but the beast dodges back. I catch Mulan's eye and motion with my head. Nodding, she quickly circles around one side of the beast while I circle around the other. As Hercules dodges one of its claws, I look to Mulan again. "Three, two, one!"

We leap at it from either side. The beast notices me first and turns to ward me off, but Mulan manages to dig her sword into its right shoulder. The beast roars in pain and whirls back around, but Shang and Ariel are ready for it, and they both leap forward. Shang gets another gash into one of its arms, but Ariel isn't fast enough, and before she can do anything, the beast has scooped her up into its tight grasp.

She shrieks. We all freeze, not wanting to let it hurt her. The beast eyes all of us for a few moments, before Shang, unable to wait any longer, leaps out again.

It's over in seconds. The beast sees Shang coming, lets out another roar, and brings one huge claw down onto Ariel's trapped form.

We all cry out as the beast lets Ariel's crumpled body slump onto the ground. Ignoring this, it slinks towards us again, a low growl in its throat. It's about to spring again when we're all stopped by the sound of a cannon echoing across the arena.

Something flickers in the beast's eyes. Softens, almost. It turns back around and stares at Ariel's fallen body. It seems to be thinking, or reflecting, somehow. Slowly, it turns back to us, all the menace gone. Hesitantly, it starts to back away.

Before I can catch on, Shang, Eric and Mulan are taking advantage of its weakness and leaping forward, closing in on the beast. It barely struggles, and once again, it's over quickly. A second cannon fires.

We all stand in silence, staring at the two fallen bodies. Mulan and Eric turn away as the hovercraft comes and lifts them both out of the arena. It's only now that I remember Rapunzel, still curled up behind where the beast was standing minutes ago.

We all watch her until Hercules clears his throat. "So… Are you coming back with us?"

"Wait a minute," Shang cuts in. "She clearly left us by her own choice. For a _monster._ What makes you think she'll want to come back?"

"Shang, please. She was only trying to—"

"No, Hercules, it's okay. Shang's right. I left for a reason," Rapunzel says, eying Shang coldly.

Shang nods. "Suit yourself." He turns to Eric, whose head is lowered. He carefully puts a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go," he says softly.

After a moment, Eric lifts his head slightly, nods, and the two of them start off into the woods, Mulan and Hercules falling in behind them. I go to follow, glance back at Rapunzel, and run back, crouching quickly in front of her.

"Are you… Are you gonna be okay?"

She nods solemnly, avoiding eye contact with me.

"We did what we had to do, you, know that, right?" She doesn't answer. "I mean… It was a danger we had to get rid of!"

"He clearly wasn't a danger to me," she says, still not looking at me.

"But… But why did you run off? Leave your alliance? Make friends with a beast?"

She lets out an angry huff of air. "He wasn't just a _beast,_ Flynn, he was a tribute! A living, breathing, human being, and maybe if any of had stopped to _think_ for _one second_ you would have realized—"

"Wait, a _tribute?"_

"Oh my gosh Flynn, yes, a _tribute!_ Why else do you think he was a wearing a tribute's uniform? Why do you think a cannon went off when he died? Why do you think he was going to back down the second he realized he had killed some—" Her voice breaks.

"Oh, my— Rapunzel," I say in a hushed voice, sinking down next to her and putting my arm around her as her tears start to fall. Angrily, she pushes me away and stands up.

"Don't give me that, Flynn. It's too late for that. I get what kind of people you all are. I'm not relying on you anymore. I'll do this myself, and if you were smart, you would do the same." She picks up her sack.

I stand quickly. "No, don't—" But as I'm saying this, I'm glancing around us.

"Looking for your friends, aren't you? Go, Flynn. Run on back to them. You're probably missing out on their plots to corner more innocent people. May the odds—ugh, what am I even saying." She looks into my eyes, her voice softening slightly. "Goodbye, Flynn. I'm sorry things had to end this way." She turns and disappears in the opposite direction.

And then I do exactly what she said I would do. I turn and run in the direction of the other Careers, catching up to them within a minute. I fall back in line with them and resume my position. Because she's right, I'm not like her. I'm playing the follower for now. But what choice do I have?

Merida, District 7

I've been walking along the river all day, thinking it must end somewhere. About an hour ago, I slowed down a little when I heard two cannons. But how am I to know who they were for? I'll find out tonight, I suppose.

Up ahead, the river widens out into a shallow pond, and I see a huge willow tree looming over it. This is it, the end of the river. Carefully, I push a frond aside and give a small gasp. Against the trunk, there are piles of supplies.

I hesitate and listen. This has got to be the Careers' camp. There's surely someone standing guard nearby, waiting for a dummy like me to fall for it.

But after a few minutes, there's still no sign of anyone. I run forward, and then stop. What am I doing? I don't really need any new supplies, I'm fine on my own. Stealing would just make them mad and more alert. But at least now I know where they are. Or at least, where they will be. They'll be back here by tonight, I imagine.

I decide to make camp nearby. It's time I started keeping tabs on these Careers.

Rapunzel, District 1

Night falls, and I'm sitting in a tree, my back leaning against the trunk, gazing at the stars, when they're replaced by the giant Capitol seal.

The first face is Ariel, which I knew it would be. I brace myself to see the second face.

Adam from District 6.

I guess I should have known it was him. But maybe not. It could have been any of the other tributes, even a girl. I can't believe I never really interacted with the real Adam, but somehow ended up forming this bond with his twisted, transformed self.

And then he died that way. He'll never be human again. Or anything again.

The tears come back, and the overwhelming sense of loneliness, as I curl up and try to get some sleep.

_**Whew! I apologize, my long break doesn't mean an extra long chapter or anything. Somehow, we still have 13 tributes left! Here's a quick recap of them, since it's been a while:**_

**_****SCROLL BACK UP IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE CHAPTER YET****_**

_**Flynn (1), Shang and Mulan (2), Eric (4), Hercules (7): The remaining Career alliance, sleeping under the willow tree**_

_**Kristoff and Anna (5), Belle (6): an alliance of three**_

_**People who are alone:**_

_**Rapunzel (1), Merida (7), Aurora (8), Aladdin (9), Pocahontas (11)**_

_**Everyone has kind of reached a resting point. But probably not for long. I hope the next chapter will be up faster than this one, but no promises (especially since I had NO idea I would take so long to get this one written). If you're still reading, thank you SO much for your patience and I will do my best to get the next one up soon! :)**_


	14. Day 7: God Help the Outcasts

Merida, District 7

I've been struggling to keep from falling back to sleep, but now I see a few of the Careers stirring, and I wake up fully. I peer through the branches and watch as they exchange a few muttered words. There's been a completely different atmosphere to the group ever since they got back yesterday, with one less person than they left with. The death of Ariel is hitting them hard.

Of course, they knew it had to happen eventually, but that doesn't make it any easier on any of them. Eric seems to be taking it especially hard. Back during training, he seemed to easily rise to Shang's side and become a clear and confident second-in-command. But now, he keeps his head low, grunts in reply to his allies, and dutifully moves things around. Hercules hands him a canned breakfast and he takes it automatically, but he just holds it limp in his hand. Eventually, Shang leads Hercules, Mulan, and Flynn off into the woods, leaving Eric sitting with his back against the trunk of the willow tree, his head lowered.

He's not paying too close attention, but he would still see me shimmying out of this tree. I let out a huff of air, fluttering a stray lock of my hair. Well, the rest of my day seems to be written out for me: watching this sad boy while wondering what everyone else is up to.

For a second, I realize that I could jump down and opt for a fight. Eric seems to be in a fairly vulnerable state. But that's not me. He's just lost his district partner. He deserves a fair fight.

Pocahontas, District 11

I dart behind a tree and peer ahead of me. My eyes weren't playing tricks on me—there really is someone up ahead. Someone with long blond hair.

Could it be that Career girl? What is she doing on her own? It doesn't matter. Time to finally make a move.

I step out from behind the tree and begin to slink after her. As she continues to walk, I pull out an arrow and draw it back against my bow, continuing to creep forward.

The reality of this situation suddenly hits me. This girl is alive, and if I let go of this arrow, she could end up—I shut those thoughts down before they can fully form. If I want to get out of here, I can't think about it. Besides, this girl _volunteered_ to be here. Taking a deep breath, I let the arrow fly.

But my thoughts must have been enough to distract me, because the arrow misses her. However, it's close enough to startle her, and as she jumps and whirls around, I see the angular face and realize it's not the Career girl—it's the girl from District 8, Aurora.

Her eyes widen in horror at the sight of me, bow still held tightly in my hand. She remains frozen as I continue to slowly step closer to her, her breaths quickening. She doesn't seem to have any weapons on her.

But as I take another step towards her, something in her seems to click. Without any warning, she lunges forward, body slamming me and knocking me to the ground, the wind completely knocked out of me. Not hesitating at all, she rips the bow from my startled hands and brings it down on my head. It's not heavy enough to do any damage, but it dazes me for another moment. In a blur, she leaps up and takes off, leaving me on the ground in a daze. I roll over and slam my fist into the ground. My once chance to show my ability, and I ruined it. And even though I still have my pouch of arrows, my bow is gone.

Rapunzel, District 1

As I sink lower into the river, I run my hands through my hair, still not quite used to its considerably shorter length. Before the Games, washing and drying my hair would sometimes be an all-day task, but now, I'll be in the river for only a few minutes. Of course, a freezing river without any shampoo or soap is not quite the same as a warm, steaming shower back home. Still, I needed some semblance of a bath, more for my mental condition than anything else. I've never felt this alone, this vulnerable, in my entire life.

I'm about to swim back to shore when I see the beady eyes peering through the bushes. I instantly switch directions and head for the opposite bank, scrambling out as I hear the splashing behind me. I glance back and see the huge bear halfway across the river, its angry eyes trained on me. I turn and sprint, the heavy footsteps thumping behind me.

I run as quickly as I can, but I left my shoes, along with my small bag of supplies—and weapons—on the other side of the river, and it's only a matter of time before the bear catches up to me and I'm stuck with my back to a tree, face to face with the predator.

It has black fur and light brown eyes. It seems to walk with a slight limp—there's some sort of injury on its left shoulder. But even though it's wounded, it's still gigantic, a fact that's made even more clear as it rises up onto its hind legs, towering over me, and lets out a huge roar.

I instantly begin to think of all my mistakes, how I never should have set out on my own, how stupid I was to leave my weapons out of reach, how I never should have volunteered in the first place…

I press against the tree, my heart racing as the bear drops back to all fours and snarls at me, but there's nothing I can do. My bag with any sort of weapon is far away, and I can't even defend myself as the bear closes in.

Hercules, District 7

We all stop and look up sharply at the sound of the cannon. After a moment of silence, Mulan starts to say, "who do you th—" but stops at Flynn's expression.

"Let's keep going," Shang says curtly, refusing to let the cannon distract him. Mulan falls in behind him as he walks off, but Flynn lingers behind and follows slowly. Hesitantly, I fall into step beside him.

"Are you alright?" I ask him softly.

Without looking at me, he shakes his head at the ground. "I never should have—" he stops, rubbing his hands over his face. "I shouldn't have left her alone." His voice wavers.

"Rapunzel?" I say, then wonder if I shouldn't have, seeing him tense up at the name. "Don't worry about her, Flynn. She can take care of herself."

"I know, I just… I worry about her, you know?"

"Me too," I say, but I know that I can't be nearly as worried as Flynn must be feeling. And I can't keep the feeling of dread from building up in my stomach as I think more about the cannon.

I glance up and see that Shang and Mulan have stopped short. Shang is drawing out his sword. He looks back and waits impatiently for us to jog up beside them, then points up ahead. It's the boy from District 9, Aladdin. He's sitting with his back against a tree, eyes shut. Poor kid.

"One, two, _three."_ Shang whispers. We sprint towards him.

It seems like Aladdin is up and running in less than a second. And he's quick, I'll give him that. We can just barely keep pace with him, but it's impossible to gain on him. He darts in and out of the trees, making us lose sight of him a few times. He disappears again. We continue running, but this time, he doesn't appear again. Shang slows down. "He escaped us once, we won't let him do it again. Where is he?"

We stand listening in silence for another moment. _"There!"_ Mulan says, pointing out and up. She's right. He's swinging from the branches, jumping from tree to tree. We take off again, running along beneath him, but it's too hard to keep track of where he is. Eventually, the rustling dies down. We've lost him again.

Shang throws his sword to the ground, grunting in frustration. But I can't help breathing a quiet sigh of relief. One death today is enough for me.

Belle, District 6

Anna and Kristoff are reminiscing about their district again as darkness falls. I sigh, the sense of loneliness returning. It's kind of a burden to realize that you're the only one left from your district, that your entire district is watching you. And I somehow felt better when Adam was here, knowing that there was someone else from back home going through the same thing that I was. Now, only half of the tributes are left, and I'm starting to wonder how much longer our alliance can last.

My allies fall silent at the sound of the anthem. All three of us look up to see Rapunzel's face across the sky. Another Career gone.

So that's it. There really are only twelve of us left. And everyone left has the skills needed to get this far. The tributes are getting stronger.

What am I going to do?

_**I LOVE WINTER BREAK. I do NOT love writer's block. Anyway, I'm hoping to get at least one more chapter out before break ends, but we'll see. Merry Christmas Eve and happy holidays!**_


	15. Day 8: The Bear Necessities

Anna, District 5

"Pssst, Anna, time to get going."

I sit up and shake the hair out of my face, smirking grimly as I think back to the first day, when I entered the arena with two shiny, smooth braids. It was a little nicer than this matted mess.

But I do need to respond to Belle's soft whisper. The sun is already out, and we need to stay alert and moving. I grab a bag, sling it onto my back, and follow Kristoff and Belle through the woods.

"You were really asleep back there," Belle says.

"Yeah, it's the best sleep I've gotten in a while. I don't know why. The nights of bad sleep are probably just getting to me."

"Yeah, I just feel so exhausted all the time," Belle agrees grimly.

I nod. "Me too," I sigh, letting out a yawn.

It's the little exchanges like this that keep me going. Just having two other people who are going through the same thing as me has really helped, I think. I don't know _what_ I would do on my own.

We continue like this for a few hours, as usual. We're mostly quiet, with a few short exchanges here and there, until we all come to a halt. We all see it. I mean, how could we miss it?

Up ahead, the trees part to form a clearing around an enormous, white castle.

We all step forward, gazing up, our eyes wide.

"…Should we go in?" Kristoff asks uncertainly.

"I'm not sure," Belle says. "I mean… It has to be a trap, right?" But there's no hiding how awestruck we all are.

"Well… We should at least get a closer look, right?" I ask. They both agree to this, so we cross the stretch of grass that quickly gives way to cobblestones, a patch of paving that seems to surround the castle. Finally, we reach the castle. Belle cautiously runs a hand along the shining, white wall.

"Uh… There's no door on this side anyway…" Kristoff says.

"Well, let's keep going," I say. We start to circle around the enormous structure. As we round the corner, the wall bends inward, forming a small courtyard. And in the center sits a beautiful white pumpkin.

"Is that a carriage?" Belle asks.

"I guess so…" I answer, approaching it. It really is a carriage shaped like a pumpkin. There are no horses in sight, and the carriage has a slightly abandoned look, tilting slightly to one side.

We all near the carriage, and then suddenly, our silent curiosity is interrupted.

A black swarm pours from inside the carriage, spilling over the sides and sliding along the cobblestones towards us.

I'm already turning and running. From behind me, I hear Belle clarify what I suspected—"Mice!"

I glance back to see her and Kristoff running right behind me as the dark cloud of mice scurries after us. We make it back onto the grass, but the mice are gaining on us. I hear Kristoff cry out, and a few moments later, I join him as I feel them nipping at my heels.

But the loudest cry of all comes from Belle as she stumbles and falls. I whirl around in horror as I see the mice immediately cover her, scurrying up her arms and blocking most of her from view.

"Keep running!" Kristoff yells to me, already running back. I run a few feet further and then turn back to see him bending down and trying to help Belle up, but every time his hand gets close to her, he jerks it back, bitten at by the mice. I scream as they begin to climb up his legs.

He looks up and sees me standing there in horror. "Anna, _go."_

And I do. I turn and run and run and run, back into the woods. Nothing follows me, but I just keep running, running even after the sounds of two cannons echo across the arena.

Aurora, District 8

I freeze as I hear loud footsteps thundering towards me. This is it. What can I do? Someone has clearly seen me. I press myself against a tree and prepare for the worst.

There she is. It must be Anna, her auburn hair flying. She's coming straight at me…

And she keeps going. I even felt the rush of air as she blurred straight past. But she didn't stop. Did she even see me?

…Or was she running from something? I listen intently, but the silence has returned. Birds are chirping. Still, I don't like this. I begin to run in the direction she was going, veering slightly to the side to keep from running into her again.

I keep glancing wildly around me. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what I'm running from, or if I'm running from anything. I don't know—

And then I run head-on into a huge mass of fur.

I stumble backwards as the sleeping bear stands and whirls around. And then I'm back to running in the direction I came from. I don't hear it following me, but I keep running until I'm too exhausted to keep going.

I'm losing my mind. What am I doing? Everything here wants to hurt me. I have no plan. There's nothing I can do that I know will keep me safe. I'm just being chased in circles until it ends.

Pocahontas, District 8

_There._ Another footprint. I don't know who they belong to, but based on the size, it's probably a girl, and she's alone. Merida's probably too smart to be leaving these obvious tracks, so that leaves Belle, Anna, or Aurora. And I'm going to catch up to her.

But a little further along, I find a print that's facing in the opposite direction. She turned around? Or was this someone else? What's going on?

I keep going, a little more cautiously now, until I see why she turned around: a bear is curled up, sleeping, a few feet away.

I silently back away, turn, and run. Maybe I'll find this girl, maybe not, but I survived one fight with that bear. Something tells me I wouldn't be so lucky the second time.

Shang, District 2

I glance back for my routine check. Mulan is right behind me, Flynn and Hercules behind her, and Eric bringing up the rear. They're all here. Lately we've just been sticking together and carrying all of our supplies with us.

It's strange. Before Ariel died, Eric and Flynn probably would have been exchanging some sort of lively banter while Hercules lingered nervously behind them. But now, Flynn is going through the same thing, and he and Hercules seem to have formed some sort of silent understanding. I don't know. Any sort of changing friendships between us won't matter in the long run anyway.

My thoughts are interrupted by Flynn's yell and an immediate cannon. I whirl around to see him kneeling at Eric's fallen body, an arrow lodged in his chest. Mulan and Hercules run to join him, but I'm looking up. There, in the tree above us, Hercules' district partner is peering down at us, bow in hand.

"Get out your bows!" I warn. Mulan sees me and follows my gaze. "Guys, look!" She points at the girl from 7.

Hercules looks up. "Merida?" He sounds personally hurt. Did he really think she wouldn't do something like this?

Suddenly, Mulan rams into me as she leaps out of the way of another arrow flying down at us. "Who has a bow?" I ask again.

"Are you crazy?" Mulan says. "We can't hit her all the way up there. She'll just duck out of the way." Merida pulls back another arrow. "Speaking of," Mulan says, and jogs away.

As much as I hate to, we follow her away. We all look back and watch the hovercraft descend and take Eric's body away.

"It happened so fast," Hercules says in a hushed voice.

I nod. "It's probably for the best."

"Is Merida staying up there?" Mulan asks.

I nod. "She knows she has no chance of getting away while we're around. She's not moving until we're gone."

"So… What now?" Flynn asks uncertainly.

"Now…" I stop. He brings up a good point. I was ready to move on, but now that he mentions it…

"That was the third death today. That leaves, what, only nine of us, right? And we make up four of them." I stop. We all stare at one another in what I hope is understanding.

"You think it's time to split up," Mulan says.

I nod. "I say we take a minute to make sure the supplies is divided up evenly, and then we separate."

No one seems to be too happy about this, but they also don't disagree, so that's what we do. When we all have our own share of supplies, we give each other one last nod and go our separate ways.

Aladdin, District 9

I sit down after another uneventful day. I've gotta do something. But I'm doing what I can— I keep moving every day, and I wouldn't run away from any trouble. But I still haven't seen anyone. I mean, I ran away from the Careers yesterday, but come on, was I really supposed to fight them? I'd love to be able to prove my ability to fight off four well-trained fighters, but sadly, I don't have that.

I look up as the anthem begins to play. The first to appear is Eric from District 4. He's followed by Kristoff from District 5 and Belle from 6.

I have no idea what could have happened to any of them. Eric wasn't with the Careers when they chased me yesterday. Did they kick him out, or was he just back at camp? And more importantly, are the other Careers still together, or have they finally split up? Will I make it to the final eight, or will I be the next to go?

I can't help feeling like the other tributes have a better idea of the answers to these questions. But for me, I feel like I'm all alone, trapped in a bubble while the Games carry on around me. But of course, it can't stay like this for long.

_**This one went by a little too fast for my liking, but oh well. The top 8 is coming up pretty soon! Also, I just wanted to say thanks again to everyone who has followed, favorited, reviewed, or just been reading this story. More of you appear after every chapter, and it gets me so excited that other people are enjoying this story. Blah blah. Anyway, until next time!**_


	16. Day 9: Never Smile at a Crocodile

_**I'm back after a record-breaking break! But don't worry, this chapter's a good one. Enjoy!**_

Flynn, District 1

Every morning when I wake up, I forget where I am for a minute. There's a split second where I don't remember anything. But then every day, it all comes back to me: where I am, what I'm doing, who I'm with, and what lies ahead for all of us. And each morning, it feels like these thoughts that come rushing back become more and more painful.

At first, I would just remember that I was in the Games. But then I would wake up and remember that Ariel was dead. Then that Rapunzel left us. Then that she was dead too. And this morning, I have to remember that Eric is gone, and so is everyone else. The split still doesn't quite feel real to me, but it happened. I'm all alone.

Why do the best ones have to be gone? Ariel was so sweet, and I always felt like I just connected with Eric right away. And of course Rapunzel, who just clearly didn't belong here. But do any of us? Do I? Of course not.

So I make a big show of standing up, doing a huge yawn and a slow stretch, scooping up my supplies, and striding off, keeping a huge, confident smirk on my face. I had been letting this façade slip for the past few days, but now it's back. I may not belong here, but I still need to get out alive. And that means keeping the audience believing in me.

Aurora, District 8

More blueberries. It seems like they're the only things I've been eating lately. I have a pretty good knowledge of what's edible and what isn't, but blueberries seem to be the only thing I can find at all. And my sponsors haven't been particularly generous, not that I blame them. I've hardly done a thing besides watch my two allies get—

I steer my thoughts away from Phillip and Tiana, yet again. But I can't steer my thoughts from the fact of how helpless I am without them. Since I've been on my own, all I've done is run and hide from one thing after another. But what else am I supposed to do?

I know that I'm not going in circles, but the trees seem to be endless. I suppose this is truly a beautiful forest, but how are any of us supposed to appreciate it when anything could be hiding behind any one of these trees?

…Or leaving a mark. My heart drops into my stomach as I see the long claw marks running down one of the trees. And it's clearly a fresh mark.

A bear? But it couldn't be the same one I saw yesterday, could it? I whirl my head around, as if I expect there to be some sort of sign as to which way I should go now. Any direction I go could be taking me straight towards the bear, or whatever it was that made this mark. But how am I supposed to know what to do?

But the decision is made for me as the bear emerges from the shadows.

I have no way of knowing whether this is the same bear I ran into yesterday, but it certainly looks the same, with its looming form, deep black fur, and beady brown eyes that now seem… eerily human.

I was tensed to run, but now that I see that the bear isn't charging and I have a moment to think, I realize that isn't really an option. This huge creature could easily catch me if it wanted to. So I stay frozen, the two of us staring at each other cautiously. And the longer I spend looking into its eyes, the more I realize that its expression isn't threatening at all. In fact, it looks almost scared. I still tense up as it walks towards me, and that's when I see that it's limping. Has someone already hurt it?

Without quite understanding what's happening, I slowly reach out a hand. The bear doesn't react as I hesitantly make contact with its head, and I run my hand down its face. We stare at each other for another moment before I cautiously step away, afraid to turn my back. As I start to back away, the bear steps towards me. I stop. The bear stops. I slowly turn and start to walk away. The bear follows. I glance over my shoulder and see that it's walking behind me, not in a threatening way, just in a following way. There's nothing to be done about it. And in a strange way, it's nice to have some company again.

I just hope I'm right about the non-threatening part.

Hercules, District 7

I jump again and whirl around at another rustling sound. I remain frozen, looking around, and above me in the trees, which I now know is a real threat after yesterday. But once again, it's nothing. I hope.

I can't take this. I thought I was strong. I mean, I am one of the strongest tributes, physically. And I'm more physically capable in a fight. But that doesn't mean I'm invincible or by any means safe. For now, I just have to keep walking and hope that I find something. Or maybe I should be hoping that I don't find anything.

Anna, District 5

I haven't stopped crying since yesterday morning. After the mice… got Kristoff and Belle, I ran and ran and ran until I just collapsed, and that's when the tears started. They slowed down a little throughout the day, but then another cannon went off and set me off again, and then I had to see their faces in the sky, and that set me off again. And it dawned on me how few of us there are left, and how helpless I am by myself. So I don't know if I'm sad or scared or exhausted or all three, but I can't sleep, and I've just been staggering around, failing to control my emotions and with nothing to distract me from them.

Until now. From the time we got here, it's just been trees, trees, the mountain, and more trees, but now, I seem to have come across a swamp. This barely registers in my mind, and I just keep trudging forward. I become dimly aware of the ground as it gets increasingly soft and wet until I'm slowly trudging through mud and water up to my knees, but my mind is so hazy that I don't know what else to do. If I stop moving, my fears and my memories will come washing back over me, and I'm too scared to let that happen. I just want to go home. I don't know what I'm doing here, or what I'm even trying to do.

But all of these half-thoughts go flying out the window when I see the beady yellow eyes peering at me through the water. I shake my head back and forth, trying to clear my mind and come back to reality, and when I do, the eyes are still there. And a little closer.

I feel like I'm waking up from a trance as I snap into action and turn around as quickly as I can, trying to slosh away from whatever those eyes belong to. But a glance over my shoulder tells me it's hopeless—whatever it is is cutting through the water at a speed that I could never hope to outrun.

Needing another plan, I scramble towards one of the swamp trees, hoping for more solid ground near its trunk. My foot lands on something solid under the water, probably one of the tree's roots, and I reach up, barely managing to grab a low-hanging branch. With what little strength I have left, I try to pull my feet up and manage to lock my ankles around the branch, hanging like a sloth. Now I glance back down, and to my horror, right below me—it can't be more than five feet—I see the eyes circling. And it's clear now that these eyes belong to a crocodile.

I don't think it can get worse, but it does as the crocodile vanishes below the surface. I hang, unable to move, for a few silent, painful seconds, before the beast bursts through the surface of the water, shooting up and snapping at me, missing me by what feels like inches. I desperately want to pull myself up onto the branch, but I can barely move without my hands or feet slipping on the mossy branch. And I absolutely cannot let myself drop back down.

But as the beast rockets up at me again, once again barely missing, I know I have to do _something._ I pull myself up towards the branch, trying once again to somehow pull myself up onto it, when out of nowhere, my hands slip. Before I can process what's happening, both of my hands have lost their grip, and I just barely have time to lock my ankles together before I'm hanging upside-down from the branch, my entire upper body now dangling well within reach of the crocodile's jumps.

I hang there, my legs already shaking from the effort of supporting my entire body. The crocodile and I gaze at each other for a moment before, sure enough, it disappears below the surface again, and there's nothing I can do but wait with growing fear. And then it resurfaces, launching itself towards my hanging body. There's nothing I can do as I instinctively throw out my hands in a futile attempt to shield myself—

Shang, District 2

Ah, see, this is what happens when I can cover ground on my own without having to wait around for my allies. Just one day of traveling and I've already found new terrain—a swamp.

Not that this is preferable to a forest, but maybe there's something to be discovered in here that the other tributes haven't found yet. At any rate, I can't just turn back and have my sponsors think I'm a coward.

It only takes a few steps for me to realize how much slower the traveling will be in the swamp. I try to jump from tree root to tree root to rock to whatever else might be sticking out of the murky, shallow water, but there's only so much I can do. My boots are soon soaked, and with every step, I have to pry them out of the thick mud. And I shudder to think what else could be lying beneath the surface.

What's that sound? I stop, but with the fluttering birds, humming flies, croaking frogs, and other constant noises, the noise I thought I heard soon gets lost to the sounds of the swamp. It's much noisier here than in the rest of the forest.

But I keep going with caution in the direction of the noise. I swear it sounded like a human whimper.

I jump as a completely different human noise comes from the same direction.

"HEEEEEEEEEELP!"

Whoever it was must have decided to opt for a different tactic than whimpering quietly to themselves. I try to quicken my pace, which is pretty ineffective in this swamp, but soon enough, I peer through some low-hanging branches to see what is undoubtedly a tribute.

It takes me a minute before I realize that it's the girl from District 5. She looks so different from the last time I saw her. These Games have hit her hard. She's gone back to her quiet whimpering from before. She's barely managing to stay perched on a small rock, and she leans against a tree trunk beside it, hunching over her left arm. As she winces and shifts position, I see why—her entire left hand is missing, leaving only a bloody stump.

And then I realize there's nothing I can do. Until now, I thought of every tribute as purely an enemy and a target, but that's because I also imagined them as threats, completely healthy and ready to fight me. I never thought about how to handle tributes that pose no threat at all.

So I turn and leave. I don't think she saw me. I can't help her—she's still an opponent. But I can't morally fight her either. Some would argue that I can't just leave her there to die, but what choice do I have? I'm sorry for her, but I don't know what else to do.

I wish I hadn't seen her, but I just have to keep going. This is the part of the Games that no amount of training can prepare you for. I always pictured the Games as a competition between me and the other strong fighters. I wish I didn't have to see its other innocent victims.

Pocahontas, District 11

I'm just beginning to consider climbing down from my perch in my tree when I spot someone coming in the distance. I sit up and silently pull out my spear, watching.

It's Mulan, and she's alone. Is she just out on a hunting shift, or have the Careers split up? Because something happened to Eric yesterday… I don't have time to wonder about that now.

I watch as she passes right beneath me. I could get her from up here, but I don't want to risk missing. I wait until she's a safe distance away and then silently climb down and follow her.

But what am I supposed to do? She's definitely got me beat in hand-to-hand combat experience, and even though I have my arrows, my bow is gone—I lost in it my fight with Rapunzel.

And then a silver parachute descends with a bow. And just like that, the odds are no longer in Mulan's favor.

I follow her for maybe five minutes, and then I can't bear to wait any longer. Watching her alive and well and knowing that she could continue on like that if it weren't for me… I can't afford to think like that. I pull my arm back and let the arrow fly.

And it hits its mark. Mulan falls and doesn't get up. I freeze and watch her, but she doesn't move. Unable to watch anymore, I turn and run long after the cannon that sounds a few minutes later.

Merida, District 7

I jump at the sound of the first cannon of the day. My mind goes through the usual cycle of wondering who it could be, wondering if it was Hercules, and then reminding myself not to think about it.

Then I realize that we're officially down to eight. My family will be interviewed in front of all of Panem. My mom, pa, my brothers… I don't even want to think about what these past few weeks have been like for them. I'm sure the last thing they want is an entire camera crew coming to our house and asking them about me.

And they watched me kill Eric yesterday. And they're at home watching the death of whoever that cannon was just for.

Why did these Games have to happen to my family? To any of our families?

I don't know if I'm comforted or horrified at the thought that at least they'll be over soon.

Aladdin, District 9

After days of endless traveling, I've finally found something new—a swamp. It must be in the far corner of the arena, unless the arena just goes on and on and on… Anyway, I figure I have no choice but to enter the swamp.

It's not really the ideal place to be when night falls. The noise of the hidden swamp creatures, the lack of a place to comfortably sleep… But then the fireflies come out, and it's strangely comforting. I don't know why, but somehow these new surroundings give me a new energy and a brighter attitude. I can tell that a new chapter in the Games is coming soon. Maybe because we're down to the top 8, I don't know, but I feel like the discovery of this swamp marks a new beginning.

I can't help wondering who they'll talk to for my top 8 interview. I don't really have a family. And by that I mean I don't have a family at all, besides Abu. My heart breaks again as I think of my poor monkey partner in crime, all alone. But I have to chuckle at the thought of them attempting to interview Abu about me.

The anthem plays, and I peer through the thick swamp branches, where I can barely make out Mulan's face. At least one person has died for the last four days, and I shudder to think that it will probably continue that way until the end of the Games. Which means this will all be over within a week. But I can't even imagine what kind of a week lies ahead of us.

_**So to review, the top 8 are officially:**_

_**Flynn, District 1**_

_**Shang, District 2**_

_**Anna, District 5 (Shang abandoned her but she hasn't died, for now)**_

_**Merida, District 7**_

_**Hercules, District 7**_

_**Aurora, District 8**_

_**Aladdin, District 9**_

_**Pocahontas, District 11**_

_**Next chapter will be the top 8 interviews, featuring some more of our favorite Disney characters! (aka Elsa) I will try to get that done in less than 5 months or however long it's been ahahaha. Thank you guys again, whether you've reviewed, followed, favorited, or just stuck with this story! Until next time!**_


End file.
